Would You Love Me?
by LifeAndDeathShinobi
Summary: Anger... Tragedy... It's what drives the departed souls to wonder the earth for eternity. But, what of confusion? What if a soul is so confused with what happened before they die that they can't rest? 'Nii-san... Why did you leave me' Rated M for gore
1. Prologue

**Would You Love Me?**

_Intro: Sasuke was suffering from an extreme case of isolophobia. While raising him by himself, Itachi tried his hardest to support both him and his little brother and raise money to get his baby brother some professional help, but it was too late. Six months later, six more deaths occurred. Now after the devastating losses and a year of separation, Madara mysteriously invites his sister, his brother-in-law, his nephews, and the remains of his nephews' friends to a summer vacation home as a way to reunite the family. But there is something seriously wrong. Itachi is hallucinating or he's seeing visions and mysterious murders are happening all around them. Can Itachi, his friends, and his family survive the summer home of terror or will every single one of them become the victim of a bloodthirsty maniac? Or is it something else?_

Prologue

They say that when a person dies out of great rage or great sorrow, the ghost will become angry and haunt the living like a cancer. Killing or torturing them as they please. It is their curse until their souls have finally found peace. Only so very few have found it.

Anger…

Tragedy…

It's what drives the departed souls to wonder the earth for eternity.

But what of confusion? What if a soul is so confused with what happened before they die that they can't rest and they wonder with the living, looking exactly as they did when they die – no matter how distorted their bodies turn into or how unrecognizable their bodies have become.

They stay with the living, forever probing the reason for their confusion.

* * *

Walking down his home street, Uchiha Itachi readjusts his winter coat to maintain the bit of warmth he has against the freezing January wind. His breathe is visible as he lets out a stressed-out sigh and his satin black eyes are glaze over with the troublesome thoughts in his mind.

'_At this rate, I either need a part time job or I need to ask my parents for money. Asking for money is clearly out of the question, especially from them. And it's too early for Sasuke to be around other people just yet. I'm already pushing it with leaving him alone for an hour.'_

After that last strain thought, it became even greater relief to see his small house appearing only a house away. It's small and when he got it after moving out of his parent's home, the cost of it was cheap. However with money problems, Itachi might have been better off with an apartment. But all of the good condition apartment buildings are near his parent's home and he wanted to get as far away from them as possible. Especially after what happened with his baby brother, Uchiha Sasuke. He wanted to live in a place that's remote and a place that they wouldn't even guess he'll inhabit in. It's a rather small two story house with a living room, dining room, a kitchen, and one bathroom on the first floor and on the second floor would be two bedrooms, one bathroom, and one hallway closet. There isn't much furniture but it's durable. The house lives in what people would call a safe neighborhood. At night, you didn't see gangsters or suspicious people hanging around on the streets. There would always be a party about something; birthday party, graduating party, baby shower, engagement party, dinner part, etc. Itachi usually hates stuff like that. The street is just as busy as the city life back at his old home, or it might be worst. He always claimed to want to live in a quiet neighborhood where he can finally have some peace and not hear the sirens of cops or an ambulance go off, along with the profanity of street gangs and the honking horns of traffic. But for the sake of an escape, he's willing to bear with this avenue. Besides the social gatherings and the 'just too much to be considered just disgusting' smiles and greetings of neighbors, it's a safe neighborhood and that put a big plus on Itachi's handbook of places to live with his baby brother.

Walking up to his house in long dark jeans, black tennis shoes, a thick dark red long sleeve shirt under his knee length black winter coat, his long dark chocolate hair in his usual low ponytail, and a black knitted scarf wrap around his neck, Itachi approaches the door and reaches for his pocket for the keys.

Then…

_Thump, thump, thump_

Hearing those noises catches Itachi's attention. "Sasuke?" he whispers, wondering if it was him who just made those noises. Now feeling a little bit of anxiety, the older Uchiha brother quickens his movements and opens the door.

"Sasuke!" he calls through his small house. He looks around for any sign of his brother or catch any sounds of movement at all.

Nothing.

Not bothering to take his coat off and putting his keys back in his pocket, instead Itachi just quickly takes off his shoes before walking on the floor and he puts the keys on the wooden counter near the door. "Sasuke?" he calls again and still there is no answer.

Now this is unusual and deep in his guts, Itachi does not like this one bit. Ever since he brought Sasuke to live with him, the boy would run down the stairs and greet him. But that was only on very rare occasions, that and when Itachi leaves Sasuke by himself for a long period of time. The boy would usually be stuck to his older brother like glue, only because of his…'condition'.

As of right now, Itachi is looking before him a hallway with three doors; one that leads to the bathroom, one that leads to the kitchen, and the other that leads to the dining room. From there, the dining room has another door that leads to the living room. The stairs to the second floor would be in the living room but the room closer to the long hair man is the kitchen. He takes a look inside and…there is nothing. There is no one in the kitchen and it appears that no one has been tampering it recently. Next room would be the bathroom, however Itachi knows for a fact that Sasuke would not come down from his new sanctuary – his room on the second story. But better to be safe than sorry. He checks the bathroom and it's the same as the kitchen. Empty and has been for a while.

So then the next room would be the dining room. After checking the first two rooms, the anxiety in Itachi's gut grows and it's slowly starting to creep its way to deeply worried and then panic. Going into panic is something that _the_ Uchiha Itachi would do under no circumstances. He's usually so calm and collected that nothing seemed to faze him. He hardly ever reaches 'deeply worried' level but lately living with Sasuke, he's been there quite often. Now as he enters the dining room, calling his baby brother's name one more time, he notices that something is different.

On the dark ironwood table is a small glass ash tray with a pinch of ash in it. Itachi's not much of a smoker and Sasuke is most definitely not a smoker; his older brother made sure of that. But when Itachi is really stressed and when he has Akasuna Sasori over to check on the teenager, since Sasori is a doctor despite his job as a carpenter and is one of the few people the older Uchiha trusts, the red head would have a box of cigarettes and would smoke one or a few depending on Sasuke's condition; one for he's doing good and several if he's gotten worst.

However, Itachi hasn't smoked a cigarette in over a week and Sasori is not to come over for another two weeks.

The long hair man walks over to the ash tray and picks it up for further inspection. Did he forget to clean it out since the last time Sasori was here? No, he distinctly remembers cleaning it being the neat freak that he is. But yet again, there's only a little bit of ash inside so maybe he missed it.

Not possible.

_Clasp_

And another sound distracts Itachi from his inspection. It sounds like it's coming from the living room or somewhere nearby. He puts the ash tray down and walks over to the door to the room.

"Sasuke?"

And a horrifying sight greets him there as he looks at the stairs.

There at the base of the stairs, besides a small puddle of blood dripping to the ground, is the body of Uchiha Sasuke lying face up, onyx eyes wide open, his mouth gaping open, his neck in a distorted position, blood trails leading to the scalp of raven black hair and some dry trails leading to the collar of his navy blue shirt, a big spot of blood on his shirt causing it to shine in the light and turn into a dark purple color, blood and some scraps of skin under his fingernails, and deep scratch marks on his neck where the blood resigns from. There are some other limps that are in disfigure positions but the one that stands out the most and is the most serious is his neck. Is his neck…broken?

Then like an explosion, every little thing of reality that was bothering Itachi up to this point just blew away and incinerates into nothing. For the second time in his life, his mind became a total blank and he feels tremendous shock with what he sees before him. But this time instead of also having anger, he has horror and all he wants right now is that this is a nightmare – a horrifying dream that isn't real and when he wakes up, he'll see Sasuke alive and clinging to him like his life depended on it. But this is no dream. This is real and Itachi's baby brother is on the stairs...

Dead.

"S…" His voice isn't working. It's like he has to force the wheels in his throat to work in order to say one little word. "…Sa..su…ke?"

"Aaa..aaa…aahhh…"

One sound from Sasuke's lips and someone turned on the emergency power engine in Itachi's brain. His brother is still alive but he's suffocating. Move, move, move!

Quickly, Itachi goes to his pocket to get his cell phone and quickly calls 911.

"_Hello, what is your emergency?"_

"My brother just fell down the stairs!" Itachi answers, sounding a bit hysterical. "His throat is all scratched up and his neck is broken! He's been like this for few minutes!"

He must really sound hysterical because the lady on the other line said, _"Okay, we've already traced the destination of your call. An ambulance is on their way. Just hold on a little longer and don't touch him. You might cause further damages."_

Then the line goes dead.

Not that Itachi minds right now. He probably wouldn't stay sane if he kept talking. If the operator asked him for his address, he probably would have mess it up or give them the wrong one since he has to _think_ about it. He can't think right now. Not with Sasuke continuing to make that very low breathing noise that sounds like a door creaking open.

Despite what the woman said about not touching him, Itachi couldn't oblige to it. He drops his phone and rushes to his brother's side. Just don't touch the neck, but following that is very hard since the long hair man wants to help save his brother's life. But he's not a doctor and he wasn't studying in med school before he dropped out. So all he can do really is just stay by Sasuke's side and whisper comforting things to the boy and to himself.

"Sasuke, stay with me," he says, his voice in a frantic. His hand goes to his baby brother's silky, spiky locks and he smoothes his fingers through it. "Don't give up. Just stay alive. Please, Sasuke. Don't die."

"Aaa…aaa…aaa..hhh…" is all Sasuke lets out of his mouth. In a way, it's like he's calling for Itachi, or at least that's what he would like to think so. But rather it was or not, Itachi's just a bit relieved to hear his baby brother respond.

He continues to softly stroke the teenager's hair to show that he's here but he also grasps the boy's hand and gives it a tight squeeze before raising it to his face and pressing it against his cheek and his lips.

'_Please, Sasuke. Don't leave me.'_

* * *

"Earlier today a heart-wrenching tragedy occurred early in the evening between two brothers living in what many believe to be the most passive, happy neighborhood in Konoha. Suna Temari has the report," the news anchor reports on the six o'clock news.

Hearing that, Uzumaki Naruto puts his attention on the TV screen than the delicious, hot and steamy ramen before him. "Brothers?" he asks, looking at the screen. Hearing him, his older brother, Uzumaki Kyuubi looks at it too from his steak sandwich.

They weren't the only ones watching. In their own homes, Sasori and his new boyfriend, Katsu Deidara look up at the TV from their hot making-out session, Hoshigake Kisame and his boyfriend, Hozuki Suigetsu stopped their card game, Hebi Orochimaru was working on his snake research while his lover, Yukushi Kabuto is having an important phone call, Kaguya Kimimaro and his fiancé, Sakaguchi_(Japanese voice actor's surname)_ Juugo were making dinner, and Uchiha Madara is sitting on the couch watching the news while his little brother, Uchiha Izuna was preparing dinner. But while everyone was looking at the news in mild or just a tiny bit of curiosity, it was Sasori who looked the most shocked and dread fills his mind with the thought of who the two brothers the anchor was talking about. What really catches everyone's attention is when Temari appears on the screen and gives her report.

"Around four o'clock this afternoon, fifteen year-old Uchiha Sasuke took his own life clawing at his throat and falling down the stairs, breaking his neck in the process. It is to believe that the boy was suffering from a terrible case of Isolophobia but according to his twenty two year-old brother and guardian, Uchiha Itachi, the boy was slowly gradually getting better; causing the sudden surprise of suicide to be even more of a shock. Uchiha Itachi was unable to give a statement but it is to believe that he left the house momentarily to take care of some business at the bank. When he returned, he found his little brother on the ground by the stairway, only breaking his neck minutes before discovering him. By the time that the ambulance arrived, Uchiha Sasuke had already died and Uchiha Itachi, with a beating heart, had also died."

Then it came time to some statements said by the neighbors who really didn't know much about the two siblings since they were so isolated to the neighborhood. But it was at that point that the people who knew them and was just watching the news reacted.

Sasori jumps off Deidara and quickly heads for the door. "Deidara, hurry up!"

"Coming, un!"

Izuna, only taking out the dishes needed to cook, put them on the table as Madara had already leaped off the couch to the door. Kimimaro and Juugo stopped everything, turned off the stove and oven, and headed for their door as well with Juugo's car keys in hand. Orochimaru had to 'unexpected' grab Kabuto by the collar and dragged him to his car. Suigetsu and Kisame dumped their cards on the table and got up to the door of their apartment. Though on the way, Kisame nearly tripped for not watching where his big feet were going.

_Cling-clang_

Hearing the chopsticks landing to the ground, Kyuubi looks across from him at his only living relative and he sees Naruto ready to go into shock from what he just heard. "S-Sasuke…is..d-dead?" If there is one thing that Kyuubi knows best about his older brother is that if Naruto goes into shock and he doesn't think about anything else, he'll go insane. Kyuubi saw that before when they heard that their parents died in an car accident and he never wants to go through that again for as long as he lives.

Quickly he says, "Naruto, we have to go now!" The fifteen year old blond looks up at his older brother, his sky blue eyes shaking with the overload of his emotions and his older brother tells him, "Itachi needs us right now. We've got to be strong for him. Hurry up and get in the car."

"But," he responses meekly, "…but we don't know where he is! Itachi took Sasuke away from his parents and didn't tell us where he took him, remember?"

"The safest neighborhood in Konoha is Ai Avenue and Itachi told Sasori their new address. I'll call him up and ask where it is but we have to go NOW!"

After progressing what his older brother just told him, Naruto took a few minutes to think before calming down just a little bit. He nods his head once he did. His older brother is right. This is no time to have breakdown. From what's been reported, Itachi already has and he needs the support of his friends right now. The younger blond might not know Itachi as well as Kyuubi does but he does know that Sasuke was the world to him and he's probably on the verge of suicide himself. With that, he becomes the first to buck it out of his chair and to his older brother's car.

* * *

Arriving at Itachi's small home was like looking at a scene for a CSI murder mystery TV show. There are police cars everywhere with blue and red lights blinking and one ambulance truck with wide open doors and no one inside. Most of the people standing outside are reporters from other News Stations and the rest are other residents living on Ai Avenue. They all gather around, some with sympathy while others are curious. This is probably one of the most 'exciting' events to happen here and it was something surely to be nosy about. Seven cars came up about the same time; five of them belonging to friends, one belonging to family, and another belong to an intruder. Though the first to run into the crowd became Naruto who jumped out the car before Kyuubi could even turn off the engine.

"Naruto!" he calls, getting out. Also coming out their cars are Sasori and Deidara, Orochimaru and Kabuto, Suigetsu and Kisame, Kimimaro and Juugo, and Izuna and Madara. They came out and they see Naruto running into the crowd and pushing away everyone in front of him. He became stopped by a cop at the yellow 'Do Not Pass' line.

"I'm sorry, kid," the police cop said. "But you cannot pass."

"What do you mean I cannot pass?" he asks, screaming at the top of his lungs, causing everyone to hear him. "My friend just died in that house and I need to see his brother!"

"I'm sorry, but no one can pass."

"Well what about family members?"

Both the cop and Naruto look up and they see Madara standing before them with a strong, intimidating look on his face. His brother and everyone else are all standing behind him. Naruto really shouldn't be but he's surprise to see him here and the cop looks ready to piss his pants from the man's frightening eyes.

Trying not to be too afraid, the police man asks, "What is your relationship to the victim, sir?"

He answers, "My name is Uchiha Madara and I am the victim's uncle. We, including my brother and the people behind me, are close to the victim and his brother, Uchiha Itachi and would very much appreciate it if you let us pass to see him. We understand that you are just doing your job but I know that you know that Itachi needs some comfort right now."

"I'm sorry, ma'am but you cannot pass."

"Please let me in! I need to see my son!"

Hearing that voice was the same as hearing red alert on an intruder breaking and entering a bank or jewelry store. Everyone turns around and they see the last two people any of them wants to see standing not too far away from them, one of them also begging the police officer to let them through. There is Madara's and Izuna's sister, Uchiha Mikoto and her husband, Uchiha Fugaku – the parents of Sasuke and Itachi.

Kyuubi got angry real fast when he saw them.

"What the hell are you two doing here?"

Hearing him, both Mikoto and Fugaku turn their attention away from the cop and to the group of their son's friends looking at them in either surprise that they're here or total disgust and anger. Mikoto does have tears running down her usual beautiful face and Fugaku still has that stern expression he always wears. Mikoto looks like she just got slapped in the face from Kyuubi's question while her husband looks indifferent.

"You two have no right being here."

"Watch your tongue, boy," Fugaku tells him, sounding as collected and strict as ever. "Itachi is our son and as his parents, we have the right to speak with him."

Naruto got angry like his brother and screams, "You two have no right at all! You two dare come here after what you did? Why do you think this happened? HUH?"

"Naruto-kun, stop it."

Now hearing that was like hearing the news that the long lost city of Atlantis was finally found after being lost for centuries. Everyone looks up at the front door of the house to see Itachi standing there looking exactly like a broken doll. When the reports saw him, their intentions were to take pictures of him or get into reporting their story but just the sight of him is too depressing for them to do that. His satin eyes that usually hold some form of life despite always looking so cold and unsocial-able are now completely and fully dead. They look so dull and they're red and swollen. He must have been crying. His hair is messy and tangled and loose instead of his pony tail. The stance of his body is weak and fragile like any more drama tonight and he might completely break into nothing; never again to recuperate. But will he ever now that his baby brother is gone?

Seeing him, Deidara moves fast. He passed the others and the cop and just kept running to his long hair friend. As soon as he was in reach, he hugs his friend with his arms circling his neck and holding the fragile man's head close to his shoulders. Before dating Sasori, a lot of people suspected the long hair blond liked Itachi despite his constant claims of completely hating the guy. But even he can't deny the fact that he does care about him. Itachi just has that kind of attraction that makes you want to get close to him; either sexually or just trying to be friendly. Mostly sexually since trying to be friendly would immediately be turned off with the Uchiha's harsh icy glare. But that's a different matter now and unimportant. Right now, the long hair blond wants nothing more than to just say that everything is going to be alright and question his friend's well being, but even he knows that everything is not going to be okay and Itachi is most certainly not alright.

"Oh, Itachi," is all he can really say right now with a sympatric voice because he also knows that sympathy is the last thing that this man wants right now.

Well maybe there is one thing he can say.

Deidara pulls away from Itachi and tells him straight in the face, "We're going to go through with this, okay un? You, me, and everyone else. You don't have to go through this alone, un." Not a single emotion passes through Itachi's face. All he does is nod.

"Thank you, Deidara."

Then he turns to look at his parents and the second that his eyes look at them, Mikoto was ready to ignore the police man who would dare to stop her again and she grabs the yellow tape to raise it up and go under it. But right before she could, Itachi tells her, "Don't come near me. I don't want you two here."

If Mikoto didn't look heartbroken before, she does now. Hearing her own son telling her that he doesn't want her was the same as someone telling her that she had a miscarriage when all she ever wanted was a child. Fugaku on the other hand glares at his son's words while the others are now looking between Itachi and his parents; Kyuubi and Naruto being the only ones who look 'You heard him, scat!'

"You still blame us for what happened?" Fugaku asks, sounding entirely disappointed. "Boy, you have no right to be an Uchiha. Just like your trouble-maker of a brother." Mikoto turns to him in shock of her husband's words and now Kyuubi looks more pissed off than anything.

"It _is_ your fault! You're the reason why Sasuke had isolophobia in the first place!"

"But I wasn't the one who left him to die."

Itachi's finger twitches at his side at the sound of that and his bangs completely covered his eyes to hide away the thoughts in his mind and the feelings in his soul.

Fugaku defends, "Sasuke was nothing more than a trouble-maker from the beginning and his behavior only got worse when Itachi left the first time."

Kyuubi yells, "You sent him away!"

"But he didn't say a thing against it. Itachi left without so much as an argument to stay with that good for nothing. Then he dares to just come back here and blames us for his sickness then take him away from his mother. And now he's blaming us for Sasuke's death when it was clearly suicidal. Good riddance if you ask me. That boy was nothing more than a disgrace to the Uchiha name."

Then without another second to stand listening to this guy, Kyuubi and Naruto darts off towards him but only Kyuubi was able to punch Fugaku right in the face. Naruto was caught by Juugo who pulled him back. The younger blond was struggling like mad as then police officers grabbed Kyuubi to restrain him.

"Let me go!" Naruto screams. "I want to kill that son of a bitch!"

"No!" Juugo tells him. "Calm down."

"Why should I? You know just as well as I do that the bastard deserves worst than just a broken nose!" While Fugaku is on the floor holding his now bleeding and broken nose, Mikoto kneels down before him to see if he's alright while Kyuubi is being handcuffed. "Apologize! You have no right at all to talk about Sasuke like that in front of Itachi and especially in front of me, you arrogant, self-centered, prideful, fuckin asshole! Go to hell and rot!"

_Thump_

"Itachi!"

Hearing Deidara's cry, everyone looks up and they see Itachi on the floor and Deidara going into a panic attack besides him. Sasori passes everyone else and runs to the collapsed Uchiha. Deidara gets out of his lover way while Sasori checks his pulse and then his eye. "Oh no. He's having a psychological breakdown."

"But that doesn't make any sense, un!" Deidara practically screams at his lover's ear after he heard that. "It hasn't been long enough for him to have one, un."

Sasori turns to him and says, "The event must have traumatized his mind a lot more than we thought. He needs medical attention now or he's going to go on total shut down."

Instantly after hearing that, Deidara screams, "Someone get a medic over here!"

Quickly, the ambulance rushes over to the collapsed Uchiha and Sasori pulls his lover away for them to work. One of them brought a stretcher and after putting the oxygen mask on, they put Itachi's body on the stretcher and begin to take him away to the ambulance truck to take him to the hospital. The police had to make way for the people to move and while the nosy neighbors continue to just stare like this is an entertaining and addicting drama, Itachi's friends watch him go, hoping for nothing more than the healing of his well being. If Itachi lives through this, they are all willing to stay with him and make sure that he'll recover after this tragic event; rather it'll take months or years for him to heal. Even Mikoto is looking at her son in a worried matter but Fugaku is still just glaring at his eldest son.

"Excuse me."

Both Sasori and Deidara look behind them and they see two coroners and a stretcher of their own. They don't need to guess on what's on it. "May we walk through please?" the first one asks. Sasori and Deidara got out of the way and they let the coroners come out with the stretcher and a body on it and a white sheet over it to hide Sasuke's body from the naked eyes. When that came out, the reporters went back to work and took pictures while those who personally knew the teenager look at the body with deep, overwhelming sadness.

Naruto couldn't help it. With Kyuubi in the cop car and going to jail for a few hours, again, the younger blond has no choice but to cry in Juugo's arms. He starts crying and Juugo holds the smaller blond in comfort. Kimimaro was petting the boy's head as his way of comforting him but he leans his head against his lover's shoulder in his own need for comfort for what happened. In the cop car, all Kyuubi could do was lean his head against the cage screen between the back seat and the front seat. He wouldn't dare cry but he does bite his own lip tasting the iron taste of blood in his mouth. Kisame placed his hand on Suigetsu's shoulder to remind his boyfriend that he's here but the teenager has his violet eyes glued to Sasuke's corpse. Suigetsu knew Sasuke before the boy stopped going to school but he wasn't as close to him as Naruto was. His friend but not a very close childhood friend. Yet still, he wanted to bawl his eyes out like Naruto too. Watching the body pass them, Orochimaru's hand is gripping Kabuto's in a crushing death grip. For now, Kabuto ignores the pain and places his other hand on the long black hair, creepy looking man and pulls his head close to his. He leans his own head Orochimaru's and the man bites his lips while a tear rolls down his cheek. Deidara is already holding onto Sasori like he's hold on for dear life and the red hair is doing his best to comfort his lover but he has a regretful expression on his face. He knows it's not, but he feels that some of the blame is on him for not being able to help Sasuke further with his phobia. It could have prevented his death if he just tried harder, but he already did everything he could. Finally, Madara can feel the distress from his little brother so he first turned to Izuna to look at his sweet face before pulling him into his arms, holding him close to his chest. The younger Uchiha does feel like wailing his eyes out too but he can tell from his older brother's hold that Madara needs the comfort just as much as he needs it from him. Both of them loved those two boys more dearly than their own parents, and that's a fact.

As Itachi is placed in the ambulance truck and Sasuke's body is being taken away in the coroner's truck, the people below weren't the only ones watching them go. But this pair of eyes is staring at the one being taken away to the hospital.

"Nii-iiiiii-sssaaaaannnn…"

From the second story of the house, someone is standing there with shockingly paper pale skin. If anyone could see him, they would gasp on how he just stands out behind the glass window in the dark room without so much as a candle light. But that's only on people who can possibly see him. Besides the skin they would be surprised about, they would also be in gaping shock at the distorted form of the neck and how wide his eyes are. They're so wide they might just rolled out their eye sockets. They really stand out from the dark circles surrounding his eyes, just as the blood and the deep scratch wounds on the neck would also stand out. Uchiha Sasuke stands there from his bedroom window, watching as they drive his brother away from their home.

"Why did you leave me?"

**

* * *

**

I would have written more but I fear it might be a bit too long for a first look. Forgive me, but I'm depressed so I'm letting my thoughts out through a horror fic. I hope you don't mind.

**I don't own Naruto or the Naruto characters. Wish I did, but no. Thank you for your support on my other stories and I hope that you like this new one. The next chapter would not be considered a chapter but rather a second way to begin the story. As confusing as it sounds, I hope you will all still like it. As soon as I'm over my depression, I'll get right back to 'You Mate Only Once'. It's just at the moment, the next chapter is too happy for me to write about.**

**But tell me how this went. Good? Bad? Let me know, kay? Bye.**


	2. Prologue 2

**A/N: I have with me here the second part of the Prologue that I cut out from the first one. I'm thankful for those who have reviewed and for those that don't know. Isolophobia is the fear of being alone or solitude. I looked up 'list of phobias' on google to find it and this came up. I'm guessing that the 'isolo' part came from 'isolation'. I don't know.**

**I do NOT OWN the Naruto characters or the story itself. I know that I express my deep hatred for Orochimaru and Kabuto and I know that I made them all 'friends' with these guys but I have something deliciously planned for them. Thank you and please enjoy.**

* * *

Prologue 2

_One month later since Sasuke's demise…_

"Exactly a month after the tragic suicide of Uchiha Sasuke, a friend of his brother, Uchiha Itachi, has died today early this morning. Twenty-one year-old Uzumaki Kyuubi was found on the school campus after jumping or falling from the roof of his school. Many students claim that the roof is his hangout and he would go there quiet often to keep away from his fellow students. With this knowledge, there is reason to believe that Uzumaki Kyuubi simply fell off the roof to his death but from those that witnessed the fall claim that he turned around and fell intentionally. Kyuubi was also known to have a record and was not very sociable with the other students. The very people close to him were the Uchiha brothers and his younger brother, Uzumaki Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto claims that the night before, both Kyuubi and him got into fight about something he wishes they never fought about."

"Right now, if I could, I would take back what I said to him and I would never have argued with him. I don't even know what I was thinking, saying something like that to him. Maybe it was from the stress of losing my best friend or I really was confused but more than anything, I would wish for nothing more than the life of my brother or at least the last thing I said to him wasn't so awful."

"At this time, Naruto is unwilling to share what the reason of the argument was. The boy will now live with his god-father, Umino Iruka, having lost his parents in a car accident three years ago and now his brother."

* * *

"_Why did you confess to me, Naruto? Were you really serious about what you said?…What are my feelings for you?"_

_

* * *

_

Two months later since Sasuke's demise…

"Another tragedy has occurred yesterday of yet another close friend of the tragic Uchiha brothers. Twenty-three year-old Akasuna Sasori was found dead this morning from a wood shop accident that happened only last night. From the walking witnesses, it is claimed that they saw him marching into his studio in a rage and they heard several crashes before a saw was heard and then everything went quiet. His beloved grandmother, and boss of the Carpenter company he works for, Akasuna Chiyo discovered her grandson's body in the morning and called 911 before having a heart attack from the sight of Akasuna Sasori's dismembered body. There is reason to believe that what happened was simply an accident and the condition of the room was caused by the spewing rage of something that happened earlier that morning. His lover, Katsu Deidara has the story."

"W-We've been dating for only two and…a half months maybe and he asked me to marry him, un. We were best friends before and he told me that he always loved me and wanted to be with me, un. But I told him that things were going too fast and that we should slow down, especially since we're trying to comfort our friends who both lost their brothers to what many believe to be suicide. But Danna wouldn't hear me out. He thought it was about something else and he got angry, un. Next thing I know, I'm getting a call from the police to tell me that he's dead. Now more than anything, I wished I said yes…un…"

* * *

"_Why, Deidara?…Why did you say no when I love you so much?"_

_

* * *

_

Three months later since Sasuke's demise…

"They say three times a charm but for Uchiha Itachi, who has already lost a brother and two friends, has now lost another person close to him. Today at Konoha's Nature Research Facility, Twenty-four year-old Hebi Orochimaru was found in his office, dead from Inland Taipan poison. Inland Taipan is the most poisonous snake in the world and one of Hebi Orochimaru's favorite. He was studying on how to identify symptoms of being exposed to Inland Taipan poisoning and he was developing a cure or at least a treatment that would temporary stop the poison from spreading the body until the poison has been drained out of the symptom. From the circumstances of what happened before his death, his demise has been concluded an unintentional suicide."

"Orochimaru was reported to the facility to talk with his boss, Danzo. He was confused on what it meant but I told him that it was a good thing, you know to ease his nerves. I also told him that if it'll make him feel better, he would call me to tell me what happened and we could either go out to celebrate it or go out for a drink to make him feel better. I forgot to charge my phone and it was dead. He must have called hundreds of times but I didn't answer. I didn't even hear that he died till I got home and the police called our house phone."

"Hebi Orochimaru was released from his job for not coming up with any progress on his work for several months. He claimed that it was because the past few months weren't really the best but it was not enough. When his body was found, his office was trash and there was a three feet ruler near his hands. There is reason to believe that in rage of losing his job, Hebi Orochimaru trashed his own office and having released an Inland Taipan without knowing until it was too late."

* * *

"_I'm not confused at all. I know that Kabuto loves me. But why didn't he answer me when I called him? I don't understand…"_

_

* * *

_

Four months later since Sasuke's demise…

"Last night, Sixteen year-old Hozuki Suigetsu was said to have fallen out of a ship and have been eaten by Tiger Sharks. Hozuki Suigetsu was on a ship enjoying the evening with his boyfriend, Hoshigaki Kisame. Other members of the ship report saying that the two lovers got into a fight and Hoshigaki Kisame, as an apology, wanted to meet with the young teenager and come to a compromise. But as the teen was waiting, a witness, Momochi Zabuza said that he was changing the light bulb in the lamp late in the evening and when he suddenly turned it on, the blinding light must have surprised Hozuki Suigetsu because Momochi Zabuza heard a splash only moments later. There has been blood residue on a sharp point of the ship and it was tested as Hozuki Suigetsu's blood. This evidence is enough to explain that before falling, Hozuki Suigetsu either cut himself intentionally or accidently but by the time he fell in the water in an area native to the Tiger Sharks, the blood attracted them and the poor teenager was eaten. By the time that the crew members went to see what the splash was, they saw struggle in the water and lots of blood. Because of the shock of losing the person he loved, Hoshigaki Kisame is unable to give a statement but we have Momochi Zabuza with his."

"I admit that I acted like I didn't like the brat but he was alright and he was Kisame's love and all so –shrugs- you know. He had a cute face but annoying behavior and he was a show off at times. I think Kisame brought him over to get the boy's mind off a few things but it wasn't working and I think that was what the fight was about. Kisame wanted to go in and save the boy but we all knew that if he went in, the sharks were going to eat him too. I think making him stand back as that kid was getting eaten must have been the devastating thing to have ever happened. I really do wish that there was something we could have done but from how I saw it, there was none."

"Hozuki Suigetsu and Hoshigake Kisame were also dear friends to the tragic Uchiha brothers; Hozuki Suigetsu being closer to Uchiha Sasuke as Hoshigake Kisame is to Uchiha Itachi. With this new information and Hozuki Suigetsu being the fourth friend to have died, many people are starting to believe that the Uchiha brothers are cursed."

* * *

"_Kisame…why did you take so long?"_

_

* * *

_

Five months later since Sasuke's demise…

"Tonight we have a report of yet another tragic death of another dear friend of the tragic Uchiha brothers five months ago. It has been three days since anyone has seen Twenty-one year-old Kaguya Kimimaro and three days since a terrible thunderstorm that became the cause of many landslides, and the man's body was discovered buried and crushed one of the earliest landslides. Kaguya Kimimaro lived with his fiancé Sakaguchi Juugo in a home near the mountains. The power went out and Sakaguchi Juugo went out to start the backup engine. Sakaguchi Juugo went out and noticed a dog tied to a fence as a landslide was coming down. He went off to save the dog and the landslide just barely missed him. After returning to the dog to the family, Sakaguchi Juugo had to go around the other way around his house to the backup engine. By the time he got the engine running and returned inside, his fiancé had disappeared. There is reason to believe that Kaguya Kimimaro was probably worried about the safety of his fiancé since already four of his friends have already died in the past five months. When he came out and saw the landslide, he must started digging but another landslide was coming and Kaguya Kimimaro was unfortunately unable to move out of the way."

"Kimimaro was the greatest person to have ever lived. He was kind and the most accepting person you could ever meet. When he looks at you, he doesn't see what other people do. He would see the very depths of your soul and find the good in them. Before I met him, I was having problems and Kimimaro pulled me out of it. I was lucky to have been loved by him and I hope that his soul is now in peace…I really miss him…"

* * *

"_Juugo! Where are you? Why can't I find you?"_

_

* * *

_

Six months later since Sasuke's demise…

"Six months ago, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke became known as the tragic Uchiha brothers since the violent suicide of Uchiha Sasuke. But today, that role is passed on to their uncles, forty-eight year old Uchiha Madara and forty-two year-old Uchiha Izuna. We have very few information about what happened since it only occurred an hour ago but there is evidence to claim that Uchiha Izuna ripped out his own eyes and died from lack of blood. Like his oldest nephew, Uchiha Madara is too heart-broken to give a statement but their sister and the mother of the first tragic Uchiha brothers has this to say."

"Unlike many group of siblings, my brothers and I were close. We were the best of friends with each other and they were the world to me. But despite being so close to them, I've always known that I could never be any closer to them as they were with each other. Even after we started our own lives and moved out of our parent's house, my brothers lived together as I met my husband and started a family. Like my boys, my brothers were inseparable and they loved and cared about no one else as much as they did for each other. They had a strong brotherly bond that no one on this planet could possible understand, not even me. It pains me to know that I can't understand what aniki is going through right now. All I know is the loss of a brother, not the loss of your other half. The only one who can possibly understand is my son, Uchiha Itachi and everyone else who lost their loved ones. It's just so sad to hear that this happened."

* * *

"_Were you lying to me, onii-san, when you told me that you loved me? Wasn't I supposed to be your everything?…So why did you kiss him?"_

* * *

At Izuna's funeral, Itachi had this to say as an announcement at the dinner.

"Tomorrow, I will be returning to the ANBU University and I'll study to take the employment exam. Once I pass, I'll study to become a detective and take over the family business."

No one could say anything. Everyone was speechless. The most stunned people in the crowd were Madara, Juugo, Kisame, Deidara, Naruto, and Mikoto. If Kabuto didn't had a business trip to go to and he heard these words, he would be just as shocked. Fugaku was the only one with a proud smile on his face as he nodded in approval.

**

* * *

**

And now the real story will begin.

**How was it? Bad? Good? Let me know. Till next time.**


	3. Life as of Now

**A/N: Hello again. Now I don't want to rush things so this chapter is a little short. It's only a brief look of how Itachi's been doing since Sasuke's death, or rather everyone's death. I'm grateful that people are liking this fic even though there are like so many others I need to work on right now. But at the moment, I just need to work on something that's not too lovey-dovey but is in that general area. I'm still a little depressed. It happens and hopefully it'll go away soon.**

**I do NOT OWN any of the Naruto characters or the story itself. It belongs to Kishimoto and he unfortunately can do what he wants with the story and its characters. Thank you for those who have reviewed and favorite. Thank you and enjoy.**

* * *

Ch. 2: Life as of Now

_**You think he cares about you? He left you once before and now, he's left you again!**_

_**Who would love a worthless piece of shit like you? You're nothing but useless!**_

_**All you've been is nothing but a leech! Who's suffering more? You or him?**_

_**He doesn't have a heart. He never cared about anything before so what makes you believe you're so special?**_

_**He left you alone and you'll be alone for the rest of your life!**_

_**He's never coming back!**_

"_He's not coming… cough, cough… He's not coming… He's not coming…"_

_Little by little, the teenager takes small steps down the hallway. His long legs are trembling and he walks from side to side of the hallway, sometimes bumping into walls and allowing blood to smear on the white walls. He repeats 'he's not coming' over and over as he continues to walk towards the stair case. His heart is beating frantically and his hands won't stop shaking, or scratching. Sweat drips down his porcelain white face, causing some strands of his raven black hair to stick to the sides of his face and forehead. Accompanying them are tears as they roll down his beautiful adorable face from his wide sorrowful, wild onyx eyes._

"_He's not coming…He- cough- h-he's not coming… Nii-san isn't coming…"_

_Standing before the staircase, Uchiha Sasuke is scratching his own throat, his blood dripping down his fingers, his neck, and soaking the collar of his navy blue T-shit in a dark, shiny purple color. For pants, he wears khaki shorts but the blood is unable to reach it. Skin piles under his finger nails and the more blood that drips out of his flesh, the paler he becomes. His teeth are clench together and his eyes are wide; eyes belonging to an insane man._

"_N-nii-san isn't c-coming…" he whispers, scratching his neck even more. "He h-hates me…h-he hates me… he hates m-me…" He takes the first step to the edge of the stairs and from there, he falls._

_Sasuke rolls down the staircases, the hard edges creating bruises on his once smooth, beautiful skin. From the force of the fall and the solidity of the stairs, some of his bones begin to crack and knocking the air right out of his still growing body. However, when he came to a wall of the stair case before another set is constructed on the right side, Sasuke's head hits the wall first force in an unfortunate position._

_**Snap**_

_And his neck snaps. From his body weight, Sasuke's carcass leans over the edge and he starts rolling down the set of stairs presented before him. He lands on the floor of the living room, his eyes still wide and now his blood splatters on the floor shortly after the back of his head slams against the solid ground._

* * *

As soon as Sasuke's body landed on the ground at the base of the stairs, it'll always be the time for Itachi to wake up. The nightmare will end and the Uchiha family heir will wake up with a start. His sweat already coating his face and his heart rate would be beating a hundred miles an hour. He would start panting and be staring at the black sheets of his bed with wide satin black eyes as reality slowly started to sink in. So many feelings and desires would be running through his body and each one of them would just pass by like a slow, calm breeze blowing through the wind. It was only when he would wake up from his nightmare would he show any type or form of emotion on his face. Once Itachi realizes that he's in his lonely college dorm room and what he just saw was nothing more than a dream, his expression will relax and his eyes will become empty and dead; like the heart now beating normally in his chest.

It has been a year since Sasuke's death, along with many others, and since that day, Itachi's been seeing the same dream every night – never having a dreamless sleep or any other dream to replace it. First he would hear the voices and then he would be the witness to what he believes to be how Sasuke died. A fact he remembered Sasuke mumbling about when he was still alive and when Itachi first took him away from their parents, the boy would mention hearing voices in his head. They would never stop or leave him alone. They would always whisper terrible stuff to him. Only when he was alone would they get louder and say even more twisted and sinister things than the words they said before. Oh how Itachi would comfort that boy and tell him that he would make the voices go away. If that dream was accurate, he failed in that promise – just as he failed to help his little brother get better.

When the long hair Uchiha first saw that dream, it was when he was recovering at the hospital after his psychological breakdown episode. On that day, he really wished that he would just die. Experiencing his brother's death made him jump from normal to a very bad case of PTSD. So many nurses and so many doctors had to hold him down. His friends would come to visit to try and comfort him and his uncles would definitely spend the entire day with him, never leaving his side. Not once did his parents come, or maybe they did but Itachi was at least able to tell the nurse that he did not wanted to see them no matter what the reason. He even threatened to lock himself up in the bathroom and drown his head in the toilet.

His uncles were really the best. They were like the loving parents Itachi never had, and the sort of parents Itachi would have liked Sasuke to have as he was growing up instead of the ones they used to have. The long hair man should have been released from the hospital at least three days after his episode but with his constant attempts to commit suicide, he would end up staying longer. Everyone would tell him to stop and live but he knew that he couldn't live without his little brother when the boy's death was so unfair. Then Izuna said something that really set home.

"You think Sasuke would have wanted this?" he yelled. Itachi sure didn't expect to hear that. "Itachi, I thought you were better than this but how you're acting right now is completely selfish and childish! All you're going on about is you, you, you! Well what about Sasuke? If you love him so much than think about how he would feel about you acting like this! You think he wanted you to commit suicide just because he's not around anymore? Look, I don't know what it's like to lose him but I do know for a fact that if my onii-san would have died, I would be acting exactly as you are now. Except, I would take the time to think about if onii-san wanted me to live like this? Would he want me to die or go on with my life with him in my memory forever? I know that's how Sasuke would think. So if you continue to live like this and claim that Sasuke would want you to do this, then boy, you don't know your little brother at all!"

Normally Itachi would have made comments about that because Izuna didn't lose Madara. He couldn't understand what it's like to lose someone; especially how Itachi lost Sasuke. But there was truth in his words and the long hair, younger, compared to his uncle, Uchiha listened. Sasuke wouldn't have wanted this at all. He would have wanted Itachi to live and he's willing to respect his baby brother's unspoken wishes. But he didn't say anything to his uncle after that. He remained silent for the rest of his stay at the hospital, gazing out the window.

It was probably then he became nothing more than a doll with no emotions and only hidden kindness hidden deep within him. Reason why he still had a good heart was because after being released from the hospital and, with his friend's and uncle's help, moved into an apartment, when half of his friends died their lovers or brothers would come to him in search of comfort and he would offer it to them. He understood them more than anyone could. It wasn't just the fact that they lost someone they loved. It was the fact that the bond they had with that deceased person was stronger than any bond any lover or brother could ever possibly possessed with someone else. Especially Madara. Madara and Itachi could understand each other perfectly. Both being the oldest sibling and losing the younger one who they saw as a bundle of pure innocence.

Something so pure, beautiful, and perfect was taken away from them. Who could possibly understand that?

Maybe that's why after Itachi made his announcement about returning to college and becoming a detective like how his father wanted him to be, Madara is the only person who is still willing to keep in contact with him. Everyone else pretty much got angry with him and he made no attempt to contact them as they did the same.

The first person to have forced him into a wall was Naruto. He was as pissed off as all hell. Many people didn't see him as the more cheery, friendly Uzumaki brother when he did that. Only as the anti-social, rebel Uzumaki Kyuubi. Their temper is definitely something they have in common with each other. The others tried to stop him, Madara and Deidara especially, but the boy kept asking and screaming about why Itachi was doing this, listening to the orders of the 'heartless, self-centered asshole'.

"It's because I have nothing else to do is the reason why I'm going back," became Itachi's answer. Naruto became stunned enough to listen to the rest of the long hair Uchiha's explanation. "Sasuke is dead. What else do I have to live for? I'm alive now because of him but I'm no longer 'living'. I have nothing else to do with this empty life. I no longer have any dreams or ambitions. I'm empty and so I will go back because at least it's something that has been asked of me to do. I no longer have a will of my own to do anything else. What I'm doing right now is something I know none of you could ever possibly understand."

Itachi truly has become nothing but a doll for other people to control and unfortunately, the one who has his strings wrapped around him is his father – the very person who made Sasuke as he was. Naruto refused to speak to him after that and everyone else wanted to help pull Itachi out of it and 'live' again but they didn't understand. Only Madara did. So as others slowly started to fade away, Madara would call up once in a while to talk and Itachi would meet with him for lunch or some kind of small social gathering. Just so long as it's nothing too outrageous like a birthday party or something.

Now it's been a whole year since those dreadful six months, it's the summer time, Itachi is passing his courses at the top of his class, and he will be graduating once the semester is finished. Usually it would take people years, but Itachi being the Uchiha family's prodigy was able to pass the classes with flying colors. The courses were just too easy.

Once Itachi's face has returned to the unsociable, empty expression, he would do one more thing before his body will go into automatic mood. He sits up in his bed, his black sheets and dark red comforter sliding smoothly off his well-toned, lean bear chest and his long black hair flowing off his shoulders like a black water waterfall. He would just sit there and stare at the pieces of bed clothing on his lap and legs, thinking. Thinking about that dream and thinking about Sasuke.

Sometimes he would wonder what his little brother's last thoughts were before he died, how much pain he was in, and…how much he hated his older brother for leaving him again. It was just a small trip to the bank, discussing about things Itachi didn't want Sasuke to hear. The boy was getting better and he was becoming more aware of things around him. Itachi didn't want his younger to think that he was a bother like how the voices were telling him he was. It was a small trip and it killed him. It took Sasuke away.

That or maybe it was…

When Itachi would think about the _other_ reason why Sasuke would take his own life once he was alone, it would pain him even more and then his body would go automatic – as if the pain put a complete lock down on his heart.

Itachi got up from his bed and went to the bathroom for a shower, cleaning off the sweat from the nightmare and using the coldwater to stop his brain from thinking. Then after changing into the clothes he would be wearing for class today, he would prepare breakfast, if he felt like eating it, and then make sure that all of his homework is completed, the dried dishes are put away, his clothes folded and put away if he hadn't done it already or he'll do the laundry, or just do something. He can't sit still and allow his mind to wonder. It hurts too much.

He needs to do something or else he'll…

_Ring, ring_

Saved by a ring.

At this time, since Itachi cooked, he was eating and his phone just went off. He puts the fork down, temporary leaving his bacon and eggs, and he answers it.

"What is it, Madara?"

He doesn't need to guess who it is. Madara is the only person who has his college dorm phone number. He doesn't even give it to his parents because still, they are the last people he ever wants to talk to; obeying their wishes or not.

**

* * *

**

And next will be the Itachi and Madara meeting and the invitation to the summer home where the horror will begin shortly. I don't expect much from this one but how was it? Good? Bad? Let me know. Bye.


	4. Summer Home Invitation

**A/N: Done, finally! Wahoo… You know, I was starting to lighten up on my attitude a little bit but then I got depress again. I think who's ever up there is a sadist and even though I love Itachi, I hate the guy who's up there.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters nor do I own the story. I would make so many changes on the story like Itachi NOT dying and Sasuke NOT losing his mind. Other than that, I think I'm good. Thank you for those who have been reading and reviewing. I hope I get over my depression and get back to my other stories but for now, release my dead feelings into this story. Thank you and enjoy.**

* * *

Ch. 2: Summer Home Invitation

"Here is your hot ooucha green tea and your black coffee, sir."

As the waitress places the steaming hot tea in front of Madara, she then places the black coffee in front of Itachi; her hand still holding onto the small plate just a little longer to catch the long straight hair, not to forget to mention, gorgeous Uchiha's attention. Not that Itachi cares enough to notice, but the long blond pony tail, blue eye waitress doesn't seem to notice. Madara just looks happy to get his tea. "Thank you, my lady."

The young waitress, probably a high school student from the looks of her age, nods her head to the older Uchiha before looking at the more younger looking Uchiha man. She makes sure that she bat her eyes at him, her voice will be on 'attractive, flirty' mood, and she puts on one of her flirty poses as she asks, "Is there anything else I can get you?"

It's so obvious that she's flirting with him that it's not even funny. Madara already has the expression that says 'you're at a lost cost, kid' and Itachi turns his attention from the outside world beyond the window next to him to the waitress standing next to the table who he knows isn't going to leave him alone without an attempt to give him her phone number. From her name tag, her name is Ino - not that Itachi would care anyway. It was just something he noticed. Her eyes light up with joy and success when he looks at her. Point one for a girl who usually gets what she wants from any kind of man.

"There are two things I would like for you to do," he answers her.

Anyone could practically hear the cheering of success in her head right now when he said that. She's probably thinking that his requests are 'give me your phone number so I can call you' and 'I would like to take you out for dinner sometime if you're free.'

"Y-Yes?"

Itachi brutally answers, "Serve the other customers in the café that have been waiting longer than us." For a moment, she looks confused until he points to the angry people glaring at her behind him. When she looks at the unhappy customers, it was like she just realized that she's working.

"O-Oh, right! Please excuse me." She quickly bows and goes off to assist the other customers, and probably hurry back so she can listen to Itachi's second request. That is until she hears it before she was too far away to hear him.

"And don't come back to this table till I leave. I have no time to be flirting and my business here is brief."

After the Ino heard that, she stopped abruptly and faced the ground as if someone just shot her in the chest and it was an ice arrow. She's never been rejected before and to just hear someone discard her so cruelly like that, it stung and it stung really bad. What woke her up was the call of the customers finally yelling at her for not taking their order, giving them their order, or giving them the check to leave. Tough to work while there's a hot, gorgeous Uchiha in the café. If only she knew who he really is.

Madara faces his oldest, and now only, nephew and says, "Is it just me or did the place suddenly gotten colder?" before allowing his body to emit a shiver from his body.

Itachi just raises his coffee and says, "Drink your tea. You'll feel better," before taking a sip; no cream or sugar.

"Sheesh. Your mood hasn't lightened up at all."

The younger Uchiha looks up at his uncle at that comment just in time to see him sip his tea like he's been told. The Uchiha prodigy has better things to do with his time than sip hot drinks when it's already summer and talk about his uncaring behavior towards people when he has class in less than an hour. When Madara called, he wanted to spend some time with Itachi before his classes start. His first suggestion was breakfast but Itachi already ate half of his meal so that idea was ruled out. The only thing left besides waiting for lunch was getting something to drink and it's too early in the day for alcohol. So they went to a small café that Madara claims to sell good drinks and Itachi complied to it. He just didn't realize that the second he came in, all eyes were on him like he was Konoha's next top male model. Doesn't anybody know who he is?

Well if they did, they wouldn't bother to try and make eye contact with him period.

"What is your business here, Madara?" Itachi asks, putting his coffee down. "You haven't called in over three months and you just called out of the blue."

Hearing that, the older Uchiha looks like he's just been shown an adorable kitty. "Aw, did my gorgeous little nephew miss me?" his uncle asks, talking as if he were trying to spoil his adorable little grandson. That includes a slightly pitchy voice, wide touched eyes, and an unhealthy sparkle in them directed to a grown man. Itachi glares at him for saying that and Madara instantly backs off. "Okay, okay. I'll stop with the pet names. I'm just trying to be cheery since someone is being an ice king."

To calm down, Itachi lets out a sigh and then looks back at his uncle like he noticed something and he's suspicious about it. "Before you answer my question, answer this one first."

Now the middle aged man looks confused. "What is it?"

"How is it that you're smiling so much? You're acting like a child who just got a new bike."

"It's more like a child who was returned his favorite toy that he thought was broken beyond repairs," he whispers.

Hold on. What did he say? He whispered it so low, Itachi almost missed it.

"Huh?" he asks.

Quickly to cover it up, Madara smiles and waves his hands in front of him as he says, "Oh nothing." His hand gestures calmed down and suddenly, his expression softens greatly and he adds, "I apologize for not calling for so long. It has been a year and I just needed some time alone, away from the world. I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about, right?"

He does.

Madara sounded sad near his additional words so Itachi knows what he's talking about.

When Sasuke's death anniversary came, Itachi didn't go to any of his classes for at least over a week. It was the only time he was allowing himself to actually think about that day and the day before then. If no one had ever seen him wasted before, they should have seen him then because his usually clean and neat freak dorm room looked like a flock of birds came flying into his room and knocked everything down, spilled food on the ground, and tore up nearly everything in sight without leaving a single feather. Itachi was mostly on the ground, leaning against a wall or anything to support his back with a whisky bottle in his hand. He didn't bath for days and anyone passing his room would have literally smelled his body odor and the alcohol through the door. He actually got several knocks from teachers asking if he was alright and when he wouldn't answer, they would try to open his room to check for themselves. But Itachi would have propped up a chair or some kind of heavy furniture up against the door.

That was also probably the first time that he called up anyone without them calling him. He used his dorm phone instead of his cell so no one would know it was him. He really didn't want to talk to anyone. He just wanted to hear familiar voices, and he went in order. Itachi first called Naruto, he didn't answer but his voicemail was his voice. Then he called Deidara and he answered. He kept asking 'hello' over and over when the long, straight hair Uchiha didn't reply the first time and then Itachi would just hang up. From the sound of his voice at the beginning, Deidara didn't sound too happy either. Next became Kabuto but, like always, his phone was off and went to voicemail. Sometimes it made the rest of them wonder if his phone really did die when Orochimaru tried to call him. But he's been with the guy since the beginning of college and it was still nice to hear his voice on the voicemail. Then it was Kisame's turn and he sounded only half as drunk as Itachi was that day. His 'hello' sounded like 'f'llou'. Itachi made the mistake of asking 'what' when he heard that and Kisame even muttered 'at-chi' before the long hair Uchiha hang up on him. That man was Itachi's first real friend outside of the Uchiha family so it was hard not to reply to the guy. In a way, it felt nice but the guilt was still so much stronger than that. Next became Juugo and after the first two attempted to be answered 'hello's, the orange head knew it was Itachi.

"It is you, isn't it?" he asked. The long hair Uchiha didn't answer. He just sat there, listening, and then he heard Juugo let out a soft chuckle. "It's been a while, Itachi-san. How have you been? Are your classes going well? You know, the rest of us are worried about you. You haven't call any of us in a while and Madara hardly tells us anything. Do you…need someone to talk to? I know that today is-"

And then Itachi hanged up on him. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear Juugo say what that day was. It was bad enough that Itachi thinks that his brother is dead. He can't bear it if the whole world knows that he's dead. He doesn't want to be reminded. He doesn't want to admit it. He wants to open the door one day and Sasuke would be there, pouncing on him the instant he opened the door because the boy missed him. He just wanted all of it to be a lie.

"Yes." Then he picks up his coffee cup again and takes a long sip with Madara as his witness. The older Uchiha didn't say anything after that. His mind just wondered like how Itachi did.

Madara remembers distinctly of what happened during Itachi's 'crazy' week. He got calls from the school about his nephew's behavior and of course, he tried to call the long, straight hair man of what the heck was going on but the guy never answered. Then out of blue Itachi calls him and instead of a hello, the first thing Madara did was ask him twenty questions on what the heck was going on with him. It was also then after his many asked questions did Itachi spoke to him. He told him everything like a guilty man confessing to a priest in church. He even told his uncle about the _other_ reason why he believes Sasuke died. Madara did ask Itachi if he should come over but the college student said no and just asked to stay on the phone. They talked briefly for one moment and the next they wouldn't say a word to each other for a good ten minutes. When the phone call finally ended, it was Madara's turn to lose his mind in his memory. That's why he was gone for three months. He needed to _do_ something.

After the long silence, Madara looks back at his only nephew and tries to lighten the mood with a different subject. "How's school going?" he asks with a gentle smile. "I hear you're going to graduate soon and at top of your class. I hope you're making some friends despite your young, brilliant mind."

Itachi blurts out, "Who would want to be friends with a cursed, tragic Uchiha who lost his little brother from an intentional death? No one approaches me in fear they'll lose someone dear to them. Stop asking such useless things."

"But it would have been nice for him to know that you're doing fine. He'll be heartbroken."

That was the last straw for the day. As soon as Itachi heard that, he instantly sat up from his chair in an irritated matter. "Where are you going?" his uncle asks, watching him stand.

His nephew instantly answers, "Leaving," and hopes that this is the last thing he has to say to his uncle for the day.

"Hold on!"

As Itachi is walking towards the door, ignoring his uncle, Madara stumbles the money on the table to pay for their drinks in a hasty matter and starts chasing after his only nephew who's already out the door and is looking left and right on the busy streets to cross. Man the boy moves fast.

"Itachi, wait."

Before the soon to be college graduate could cross, his uncle already grasps his arm and then a red sports car drove by at fifty-five miles per hour on a thirty-five mile lane. Impatient bastard, but Itachi has other things to worry about. Maybe it was a good thing that Madara caught him but instead of speaking to him, the Uchiha heir is going to let his facial features and body language do the talking. 'What do you want now?' Madara raises his hands up as a sigh of defense and peace against the now glaring Uchiha in front of him. If there is one thing scarier than hell, it's the famous Uchiha glare and Itachi is more than just a master of it. The guy could have invented it for pulling it off so well.

"Okay, I'm sorry for saying that. I know that's it's only been a year but I would think that you would have lightened up at least just a little bit."

This time, Itachi talks but his body language still gives off the pissed off vibe and he's insulted from what his uncle said earlier. "It's because it's only been a year I was asking you why you're all happy sunshine and smiles. I thought Izuna was just as important to you as Sasuke was to me."

He got him on that one.

Madara first looks at his young nephew with a sort of gleam of depression and hurt in his eyes, then he lets out a sigh defeated. "You have no idea," he mumbles, disheartedly. Not a single speck of guilt passing through the college student's face. Then the older man came back stronger by reminding, "But remember what Izuna said to you? Would either of them want us to be depressed about their deaths and push everyone who cares about us away? Everyone knows that you called them that day. Juugo mentioned it and they figured out the rest. They're your friends and we, them and me, want you back. Which is why I'm inviting you to the summer home for a summer vacation." At the last part, he was all smiles again and friendly behavior. Itachi's sour attitude lightens up a little bit to reveal a tiny bit of curiosity to what his uncle just offered.

"The summer home?" he asks, even his voice lightened up a little and it causes the old man before him to let out a sigh of relief. Maybe not too much but it's a lot better than the demon voice he had earlier.

"Yep! You remember that house, right?" Now he sounds like a little child again.

"You mean the house that's inhabited in the mountains with a small lake and a huge farm? That the nearest town is twenty miles away and despite the hot temperature of summer, it's cold?"

"Yep, that's the one!" Now the man is clapping in glee that Itachi still remembers. The last time any of them went to that house was for camping trip with all of them; including Itachi and Sasuke's parents and their friends with their uncles. "I suggest packing some warm clothes though. I went up there during my little break and it's colder than hell! I had to replace the heater in that place."

"When you return, you can tell me all about your little adventures with everyone. I'm not going."

Then Madara pulls out the puppy pout and the pleading eyes. "Ah, come on. Please. For me?" Itachi gives no reaction. Someone has to act like the stern adult here. "For them?" Still no reaction. "For Sasuke?" Itachi's finger twitches and his eyes narrow in a slightly dangerous look. He got a reaction but maybe that wasn't the best thing to use with him like this.

"How much longer are you going to keep using his name to bend me to your will?" he asks – his voice practically screaming, 'Watch what you say or I might just kill you and skin you to the point of unrecognition.'

For the moment, Madara ignores the hidden threat and quickly says, "Because apparently that's the only way to get to you to do anything." He has a point there. Now to at least try to get on this young man's good side, and get him to the summer home, the older man reasons, "Look, I understand that it's too early for you and doing something as sociable like this is not really your thing, but we're all worried about you and I'm sure that Sasuke would really like it if you do this. Although he would probably be all protests and reasons when he hears this as to why you shouldn't since the house is such in bad shape and might collapse any day now but deep down, I know he would have wanted you to at least be with everyone again."

If it weren't for the last part about being with everyone would make one happy little brother, Itachi would be wondering why his uncle would even offer the stay at the summer home if it's in such bad shape. The last time any of them used that place was maybe four or five years ago – when they were still a family and before things really got bad. But besides that…

"Madara, tell me. Why are you speaking of him like that? You make it sound like he's still around."

Not a hint of deception appears on Madara's face. It kept it's caring, heart-warming expression but the features appear soften as he thinks about the answer he's going to tell his nephew. "I'm just putting his feelings into consideration. You weren't the only one who was close to him. He was, after all, one of my precious and beloved little nephews. I know that he's not going to like this since there have also been news that the woods are bad all of a sudden but I know that he would be sadder to know that you're alone. I'm not playing match-maker here or trying to get you to pretend that nothing ever happened, but the last thing I know Sasuke would ever want for you is to be alone."

And the man is right, just like his younger brother. For supposedly the prodigy of the Uchiha name, Itachi doesn't understand a thing about feelings and thoughts for others. Not that he's selfish but, except towards his little brother, he's been living the life of a robot. Academically a genius but when it comes to feelings, he's lost. Madara's right. If Sasuke wants Itachi to be happy then the best road for that is a life of those who care about him, if they still do. His uncle obviously still does but he hasn't talked to his friends in a year and he highly doubts that things are going to be the same as they were before. But it's better than a life of solitude, right?

"I'll…" The college boy lets out a sigh before he speaks again. He cannot believe he's going to say this. "I'll consider your invitation."

But to Madara that sounded like a yes. His whole face beamed with joy and he looked like a school girl and credit card after a fat, juicy paycheck. Happy, then obsessively hyper.

"Great! You're graduation is within a week, right? Plenty of time to get prepared. Which is good because I got to start resupplying the cabinets and make sure the power engine is in good shape…" What has Itachi gotten himself into? "…and then-" But all of a sudden, Madara stops because a cough suddenly interrupts his sentence. However, the sound of that cough causes Itachi to narrow his eyes at it.

"You're not catching a cold, are you?" he asks like he's interrogating the older Uchiha before him.

The man just puts on an 'A-okay' smile and says, "Oh don't worry about me. It's nothing. It'll probably go away by the time we get ready for the summer home."

"I believe that since the cough was a fake."

Bingo.

Madara flinches from the direct hit of his lie being caught and now Itachi really does look like he's considering _not_ to go. "…You're good…"

"I'm studying to be a detective. You'll have to do better than that, _uncle_."

"Stingy, but I'm glad that you're senses have gotten sharper. I know that you'd one day make a promising detective. And I really have been feeling a little under the weather lately. I'm just giving you a warning in a form of a cough. However, as I said before, I should be over it by the time we get to the summer home."

**

* * *

**

And there we go. Next chapter won't be as scary as I want it to be but it will be creepy in the end, but this chapter makes you suspicious about Madara, huh? But tell me how it went. Good? Bad? Let me know. See ya.


	5. An Awkward, Unwanted Reunion

**A/N: And here I have for you chapter 3. After this chapter, in every chapter beyond someone will die. Sorry but that's my rule from here on out. Someone will die and the chapter won't be finished until that happens or their body is found.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. Wish I did but no. Thank you for those who have been reading this and have been reviewing. I greatly appreciate it.**

**How about we have a game? Let's see can guess who is going to die first or next. Just to try and lighten things up, I will release a story that will have a set of intros of stories I might be unleashing. Depending on the situations at hand. I know I still have a lot to compete but I can't help it and besides 'You Mate Only Once' and 'Naruto Cold Cases', some of my ideas are a little dry. Come on, lets be honest here. But anyway, for the person who gets it right and after I unleash these sets of intros, that person can vote what story will be published after 'You Mate Only Once', 'Naruto Cold Cases', and/or this story will be finished. I have several ideas so there can be a first, second, and third place. I'll have more rules about it when I unleash the intros.**

**Other than that, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter while everyone is still alive. Now that the characters are set and everyone is in place, let's kill some people. Enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 3: An Awkward, Unwanted Reunion

"I thought you told me you would be over your cold," Itachi reminds, looking at his now weird dressed looking uncle. The man before him who would usually be glowing with health now looks pale white like he has never been out in the sun before in his life. He has a bandana on his face, covering his nose and mouth, big round sunglasses, and a large hat on his head. If the man didn't greet the now graduated boy first, Itachi would have thought he was some kind of bandit that lives in the woods.

When Madara spoke, his voice was very soft and rather airy. His sickness must be bad. "I thought I would too but it turned for the worst. I told you I had one! You didn't believe me."

Itachi resisted to urge to roll his eyes at the man. So he didn't believe, alright but Madara's cough that one time was indeed fake.

"Then forgive me for doubting you." At the moment, handling his uncle as if he were the child and himself the adult is something Itachi does not want to do as the first thing he does on this summer vacation.

His graduation came and went in a flash. It was a family only thing but Madara didn't come. He claimed even then that he was sick and couldn't make it. Itachi didn't believe it but if his uncle would rather play sick and put the last bit of repairs on the summer home, that's fine. Probably be best to do that anyway since they're going to use it. Itachi did hear, however, that Madara tried to convince Fugaku to allow his eldest son's friends to come and congratulate him but knowing them and after everything that happened, they wouldn't come. Itachi expected as much. So after his graduations and the thousands of people he had to thank for congratulating him, his parents setted up a congratulations party at the Uchiha mansion; family and teachers only. It was boring and Itachi could tell that people were only congratulating him because he's a genius. They didn't mean it. Still, he went through with it and he thought about Madara's offer a lot. So in the end, he calls up his uncle, he didn't answer so Itachi had to leave a voicemail, to tell him he was going to the summer house. It might be ruff in the beginning but it's better than staying in the Uchiha mansion all summer with nothing to do but think and thinking is the last thing the Uchiha heir wants to do.

Hearing his apology, Madara lets out a sigh and says, "It's quite alright. Can't do much about it now. Why don't you go in and unpack? You're the first person to arrive. The others will be coming shortly." Without hearing his response, Madara gives what might be a smile behind his unusual mask and then turns around back into the house. Possibly to show where his room will be but he stops for a moment to cough.

Another fake one. The heck is going on?

For now, Itachi will ignore it. The graduated man says nothing as he does as he was told. He took the taxi getting here since number one, he doesn't have a car and number two, he doesn't want it – too expensive and he prefers walking than he would driving. However, since the summer house is practically a three day walk from the Uchiha mansion. So to only get here in three hours and before his parents woke up, Itachi left at six in the morning and he called a taxi. Now it's ten in the morning because the taxi was only willing to drive until he reached the start of the dirt road. He walked from there, even though he really doesn't understand why the taxi didn't go up the dirt road. Not that it's over crowded with vegetation or it can't fit, the guy got freaked out because the dirt trail looks like a creepy scene from a horror film. Coward.

Itachi takes his bag and enters the summer house. Madara wasn't kidding when he said that he would remold it. Compared to memories, the house looks bigger in both width and height. Probably to allow more people to stay over but the house used to be only a story tall. Now it's two and Itachi really does not want to deal with stairs. Not that he's so tired he can't climb. He just doesn't like stairs. At least the old barn that only looks like it got the wood replaced is still here, along with small lake. Itachi remembers using the lake like a kiddy pool. Probably with his height, the lake might only be waist deep.

When he enters, the first thing he sees is the living room that's fused with the kitchen and that for a fact sure has increased in size. Before, the house was like that too. So the design of the place is the same. The house only expanded. The giant room is half a living room and half a living room. On the living room side, there are several couches circling a coffee table with a vase in the middle of it and it's in front of the TV. The walls are white, there are wooden mats on the floor; but Itachi takes his shoes off anyway just out of habit; there are several pictures on the wall; only pictures of artwork you see being sold in painting shops; some wooden counters, and a few bookshelves. On the kitchen side, the kitchen is basically surrounded by a long square counter with high chairs. It, of course, has a refrigerator, a stove, an oven, and cabinets. It's kind of small but on that side is also a deck and glass doors leading to it. Then right in the middle of the big room is a hallway which probably has the rooms, closets, bathrooms, and at the end of it is the stairs.

Madara just entered the house but he's nowhere in sight.

"You're room is on the second floor at the end of the hall!" Itachi hears his uncle yell from…somewhere.

The Uchiha heir closes his eyes for a minute before proceeding inside. Might as well get it over and done with. He walks down the hallway and popping out from one of the rooms, Madara sticks his head out and asks, "Did you hear me?"

"I heard," is all he's willing to ask.

His uncle looks at him curiously before asking, "You're not going to complain about it? I suspected you're too tired to take the stairs."

"I'm used to long distances," he says. "I can handle the stairs. Besides, it's only for a week, correct?"

His uncle nods. "Yep."

"Then there is no need for complaining."

And with that, he walks away to the stairs and Madara has his eyes glued on his walking form. He continues to watch him until his nephew reaches the stairs. Like the man thought, Itachi hesitates to take them. He just stands there, staring at the stairs before him. Almost like he sees something no one else can see.

And he does. Before the recently graduated Uchiha, he sees an image of his little brother lying on the floor in the same exact position Itachi found him in. Even the puddle of blood under his head on the floor. And like how he mostly see this image on the stair case, he sees Sasuke's eyes still glowing with the last specks of life in his body before it fades away to death. He sees this image every time he's in front of stairs and he always stares at it like a never ending nightmare with nothing to do but stand there and watch. It wouldn't take too long till the image would fade away and Itachi would then just stare at the empty stairs before him. His time at staring at the ground will be five minutes or more depending on if his brain is not busy for not. At the moment, it is. He has to unpack and soon his 'friends' will come through that summer house door and it'll be a reunion unlike any other.

Once Itachi could move, he starts going up the stairs. Madara's gaze did not leave him for a second and he continued to star at the stairs a little longer before tilting his head up and going back to his business in a room that has stairs that lead to the basement of the house. Gotta make sure that things will run smoothly while everyone is staying here for the week.

Hopefully, a week is enough time to make everything right again.

* * *

"So you really did come, un."

Itachi was unpacking his clothes when he heard that familiar voice speak behind him. He stops his movements to turn around and see the face of an old long hair blond friend; if he'll allow Itachi to call him that. But judging from how Deidara's face holds no anger or hurt on his face, maybe.

It's only been ten minutes since the long straight hair Uchiha arrived in his room. Bed in the center of the room and it's the first you see when you open the door, along with a small drawer compartment besides the bed with a digital clock and a lamp on top of it. The sheets are read, the pillow cases are black, and the comforter is dark red. A small bathroom on the other side, which only has a toilet and a sink, no bathtub or shower. On the same side of the door at the corner is the closet and directly across the bed is a window with dark red curtains. The first thought that Itachi had when he entered was Madara personalized the rooms for all of them. He can only imagine what the other rooms are going to look like. Since the drawer is small, perfect place to put the underwear and sleepwear as the closet can have the pants and the shirts. It even came with its own hangers – go figure. He was just putting the shirts and pants up when Deidara entered. Itachi figured that it was his uncle when he heard the footsteps from the hallway; especially when he only heard one set of footsteps. Did he come alone or did he leave the others to work?

Deidara tries to smile as best as he can, it became a nervous smile, and he waves. "Hey, Itachi. It's been a while, un."

"Yes, it has," he answers. It feels surreal to actually talk to him like this, face to face. They haven't seen each other in a year and seeing his friendly expression, he still cares for him. To be polite, Itachi asks, "How have you been fairing?"

Deidara knows what he means by that. Pleasant topic to open up with, especially since the two of them hasn't talked in twelve months. But it's the only subject on the Uchiha's mind. The long hair blond loses his smile and he lets out a sigh. "Terrible, un. Things aren't the same anymore. It feels as like our group split up, un."

"In a way, it did. Half of them are gone."

"Yes. Not a day goes by I don't think about them, un."

Not a day goes by that Itachi doesn't think of them either. So many lives lost for all of them. The moment went from surreal to gloomy. Since Itachi really has nothing much to say, he turns around and goes back to unpacking. Deidara became sad when he did that.

"How was college, un?" he asks, hoping for a lighter mood. He even smiles again to try and change it. "I heard you graduated already and Madara tried to get us in to congratulate you but your father wouldn't allow it, un."

Without stopping his movements, Itachi asks, "Even if he did, would you have come?"

From friendly sweet to shock, Deidara could not believe the guy just asked that of him. "Of course, un! How can you think so little of us, Itachi? We're your friends. We could have come no matter what, un!"

"That's why you never called?" Itachi asks this after hanging one more shirt and looking over his shoulder at the blond. Deidara didn't expect to hear that for a moment but then he gets a little angry. Not serious angry. Just upset enough to feel a little insulted and decide to bite back.

"You didn't either except that one time so don't even try to pin this on us, un. We wanted to give you some time and space and decide to wait for your call, un," he defends.

"Since I did, why didn't you return it?"

Why is he questioning him like this?

"Because you hang up on me when I was asking who the hell this was on the fricken phone, un! Obviously you still needed time alone. We're there for you when you need us but you need to call for us first, un! Madara already explained to everyone that you only called to hear our voices, un. You wanted nothing more than that, un."

And the Uchiha prodigy goes quiet once again. He stares at Deidara for a moment and from his exciting confession, the blond stands at his door way with his arms crossed in front of his chest and his eyes slightly glaring at him. After a moment of just staring at each other, Itachi lets out a sigh and places the hanged shirt on the pile of other hanged up clothes.

Deidara raises a brow at the sigh and Itachi asks, "Are the others here or just you?"

Now the long hair blond is really surprised but in a good way this time. Does this mean that Itachi really is reaching out to them? Rather he's jumping conclusions or not, Deidara is just happy that the guy asked about the others.

"Everyone else is here. We all came in Juugo's van. He was nice enough to drive us all the way here. But I sort of left them all there to unpack when I heard you were here. Naruto wasn't too happy, but get this. Kabuto came as well."

Well now this is an interesting fact. "Oh?" Itachi asks, sounding a very tiny bit interested to hear this. "I would think he wouldn't come due to his business."

Getting more positive response from him, Deidara's spirits lift up and he says, "Yeah well, he just popped out of the blue claiming to need a vacation himself. He disappeared on us just like you did but unlike you, he seemed desperate to get away from us."

"Makes you wonder, doesn't it?" he asks. "But maybe, he was the one who needed the time and space." Then he closes his eyes for a moment and thinks. He has to meet with everyone sooner or later. Deidara appears willing to welcome him back but the others might not. Still, no use staying here and waiting to see them all later. "Might as well get this over with."

Deidara lets out a silent gasp when he heard that and he stands there watching as Itachi turns away from his unfinished unpacked bag and he gives the blond one small glance before walking pass him. After getting over his surprise, Deidara smiles again. He looks at the back of his friend for a moment before rushing up to catch up. Itachi only expected the blond to run up to his side and walk along side him. Not hug him from behind with his arms around his torso. The Uchiha heir stops walking and he stands there in the middle of the hallway, practically paralyzed where he is while Deidara holds him.

"Itachi, we care. Please don't act like we don't, un." His arms tighten a little bit and he snuggles his face closer to the grown man's back. "It really is good to see you again, un."

Itachi's face is still empty, but inside he can feel a small bit of warmth trying to break through his icy barriers. He won't say it now but it's good to see the long hair blonde as well and even if the others won't accept him like how Deidara did, it'll be good to see them as well. However, there are a lot of layers of his icy barrier that have formed over his one year life of solitude. For his response for now, Itachi first pats the blonde's hand and looks over his shoulder to face him.

"Let's go. I might as well help since you abandoned them." Then he pulls the arms off him and continues on his way. It only took a second for Deidara to get upset over his last comment.

"Alright, alright, un. I'll help too. Jeeze, un." Then he rushes up to the long straight hair Uchiha to walk besides him down the stairs and to the front door.

But on the way to the stairs, a pair of wide, red eyes watches them go.

* * *

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Became the first words to leave Kisame's mouth when he looks up at who just walked out the door with Deidara at his side. Hearing him, everyone stopped what they were doing. Even Madara was there, probably out there to greet everyone. Besides Kisame, there's Juugo, Kabuto -like how Deidara said-, and finally Naruto. Everyone single one of them looks surprised to see the long straight hair Uchiha come out but Naruto became the first to look away from him. Kisame became the first to smile at the guy, much to the prodigy's surprise. "It really is you, Itachi-san! My man, you're a sight for sore eyes! Looking as gorgeous as always."

Juugo smiles shortly after Kisame's happy exclaims. "Itachi-san…"

Then even Kabuto grins as he puts down a suitcase he was unloading from the van. From how it looks, Kabuto and Naruto were taking out the luggage, Madara was closer to them than he was to the other two, and Kisame and Juugo were taking out the heavier versions of luggage. "Well, it looks like I'm not the only one who just popped out of the blue," he comments.

Why do they have so many luggages? It's a week not a full on four months of summer.

Itachi nods at the semi-spiky silver hair pony tail. "Likewise, Kabuto. How's business?" Of course he's not going to show it, he hasn't used his emotions well over a year but on the inside, he feels relieved, if not lighter, from seeing the familiar faces give him such pleasant looks. Even Madara looks happy to see the 'children' getting along so well.

"It's going just fine. Just fine indeed."

After getting his answer, Itachi nods again and walks over to Kisame and Juugo with Deidara following him like a loyal puppy. "Are you in need of assistance?" he asks. "I hear you're short one man."

Now the long hair blond glares at him before defending, again, "I said I'll help, didn't I un?"

"We're doing just fine on our own, thanks!"

All eyes turn to the only cranky guy here. The short spiky hair blond that's taking out what appears to be a hiking pack. "Kisame and Juugo can handle the heavy stuff and Kabuto and I can handle the rest. Why don't you go inside and rest?" Maybe if he said that in a kinder way, people wouldn't think that he was upset. At least this was the sort of reaction Itachi was expecting from everyone else to give him. Receiving it from Naruto of all people is something definitely to be expected.

He's grown so much like his brother.

Deidara now got defensive for his friend and he asks, or snaps, "Did something go up your ass, Naruto? No need to be such a bitch the second you get here, un."

Naruto yells out, "Sorry! Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, I guess." Then he yanks out the next hiking pack as if he just snapped the tree; did it out of anger and made nearly everyone jolt from his strength. He gets ready to get another hiking pack out and Itachi lets out a silent sigh.

"It's still nice to see you, Naruto-kun," he says. Uzumaki slows his movements and he hears Itachi asks, "How's Iruka-san?"

He bites his lip and look to the side after he heard that question. In his own expressionless way, the guy's trying to be nice, or at least polite, and Deidara's right. He's acting like a bitch. But he can't help but snap like that. "Fine." So he mumbles his answer.

Being the understandable adults here and with having no problem expressing their feelings, Juugo and Madara smile at the youngest male here. Or it looks like a smile on Madara's part. Just time, that's all he needs and that's why Madara arranged this little vacation.

But then as Kabuto was going to catch the next luggage that Naruto is not only going to yank out but throw at him with, he sees a white Honda Accord driving up the road.

"Guys, whose car is that?" he asks, pointing to the car before he caught the flying luggage. The others turn around to look and they see the white car driving up the trail to the house. Well that's an unfamiliar car.

Hold on! Itachi knows that car!

And Madara does too.

Driving far from the others but closer to the house than any of the two cars already here, Madara's Mitsubishi Carisma is there too, and the two people that come out as soon as the car was parked were none other than everyone's least favorite people. The trunk opens up as well, probably when Fugaku pulled the lever on his way out of the car.

"So we made it, have we?" he mumbles, mostly to himself. Either he's trying to ignore the others or he didn't see them.

Mikoto did and he face brightens up when she sees her son. "Oh, Itachi. There you are!" she exclaims happily and friendly. Everyone but Madara and Itachi tense up at the sight of them as if getting ready for one of them to start pulling out a machete and a shot gun.

Fugaku didn't see the others because he first looked surprised and then disgusted when he sees Itachi and what he would like to call 'lower people.' "What are you people doing here?" became his question and guess who the first person to snap at him is?

"That's my line! What the hell are you two doing here?"

Naruto.

Fugaku affronts, "My imbecile of a brother-in-law invited us. He claimed that we needed to come to the summer home. If I had known that you would be here, I wouldn't have bothered." Hearing that, Itachi makes a side glance to his uncle and it turns to a glare. Madara looked like he was considering running for the hills when he sees that look, literally.

"Yeah, you shouldn't have bothered! You're the last person I wanted to see!"

Before things go out of control, Itachi orders, "Naruto, control yourself."

Just about everyone there looks at him in shock, except Madara and Fugaku; Madara looks understanding while Fugaku looks pleased. When Deidara looks at the man besides him, he notices that the man's satin eyes look deader than they were before. This is the effect his father has done to him.

Naruto instantly directed his furry from the heads of the Uchiha family to the Uchiha heir. "Why don't you shut your damn mouth, Itachi? Why in seven hells should I listen to a word you say? Don't start thinking that just because all of a sudden you want us back in your life after you pushed us away to listen to your old man's damn orders, I'm gonna obey like some dog! I still don't understand how you could listen to this guy after what he did to Sasuke!"

Then just like that, everything in his eyes that were even remotely alive has shut down and all that's left is a mindless doll tied to strings connected to the Uchiha name. Now that made Deidara more upset than ever.

"Enough, Naruto!" But Madara becomes the first to try and break this up. Deidara's not the only one who sees what this is doing to the most fragile one amongst us. "Let's just be calm here and get back together, alright? You guys are best friends and I hate it when I see the children fight."

But Naruto does not back down. Not by a long shot. "I don't know if you want to put that in present tense, Madara." He glares at the youngest Uchiha here with eyes of pure anger and pure hate. Being as numb as he is, Itachi knows he can feel it but he can't _feel_ it. Then his body and his voice moves all on automatic.

"I only came here to get away from the mansion but thanks to my _uncle_, he brought it here," he says. Anyone who's dense enough to not notice, a.k.a. Naruto, would have noticed the lifelessness in his voice and how he's speaking nothing but the honest truth. The kind of truth that only his father wishes to hear. "Since I already promised him I'll stay, I'm staying. I do not intend to go anywhere. You are welcomed to leave if you already detest it here so much. I do not wish to make this vacation any more uncomfortable for you than it already is." Then he turns his walking direction to his parent's car.

"Itachi?" Deidara calls, in both confusion and worry. But he doesn't answer.

Itachi walks over to the car's trunk and he sees two suitcases worth of stuff. Probably one for Fugaku and one for Mikoto, or one of clothes and the other of necessities. He pulls them out and asks, "Madara, where?"

'_He's a doll again,'_ Madara thinks, his eyes analyzing his nephew. _'I knew it was a bad idea bringing __**them**__ here but it was necessary.' _"First room on the right of the second floor."

"Move it to the first floor," Fugaku orders. Mikoto became the only one who was surprised by her husband's rude demand. "I know you have rooms there."

"Fugaku," she tries to call in a way to make him change his mind.

But he tells her, "Hush, Mikoto." She cringes from the order and she looks down at the ground defeated and obeying.

This time if they could see his face clearly, Madara would be glaring at the man who married his little sister. This time he answers, "Third room on the left then. It's a spare room." Itachi nods and he starts carrying the bags inside.

When he walked by, Fugaku stopped him by placing his hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, my boy." Itachi doesn't look at him, nor does he look at anyone else. His bangs are hiding his eyes as he faces the floor. He does nod before proceeding walking. Fugaku closes the door to the car and Mikoto does the same to follow their only son. He locked the car and both of them weren't far from trailing Itachi as if their son were a bellboy and they were checking into a hotel.

"Itachi, wait," Deidara tries to call, slightly reaching for him. But Fugaku's Famous Uchiha glare stops him from approaching his friend. Itachi doesn't slower or alter his steps and he renters the house without so much as a back glance. Fugaku slams the door. Deidara looks pitied for a moment before turning around to glare at the younger blonde. "You're a moron! You know that, right?"

Oh boy…

Usually when Deidara's really excited or he's overwhelmed with an emotion, like panic or even now anger, he forgets to put the 'un' at the end at just about nearly every sentence.

Now insulted, Naruto yells, "At least I'm not the back-stabbing, traitorous bastard who just entered that house!"

"Don't talk about him like that, un!" he yells back. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Why the hell are you defending that guy anyway? He deserves none of it for what he did! He's turning more and more like his father every time I see him!"

"You seriously don't get it, do you?"

"I don't need to get anything! I don't need to understand him and I especially don't need to trust or care about him!"

"Don't make me bring this up, Naruto. I'm warning you."

"Bring what up?"

"That Itachi was, and still is, more broken over Sasuke's death than you were when Kyuubi died!"

And that did it. No one could believe that he just brought that up and said it like that. Not even Naruto, but his anger returned and now he's practically shaking with rage and the undeniable urge to just crush something.

"How dare you…" he growls, gritting his fists into tight balls. "I should beat you to death, you jerk! He was everything to me!"

"So was Sasuke to him," Deidara reminds, "but you want to know the real difference between you and Itachi? His heart and mental being are more fragile than yours! To him, losing Sasuke was ten…no, a hundred times worst than the affect Kyuubi's death had on you! Itachi can't handle the loss and I'm actually surprised that man is still sane! I would have gone insane a long time ago."

"Well why didn't you? I thought Sasori was more important to you than life, or so you claimed."

Great. The older blonde opened his own window for younger blonde to enter from. It became his turn to start shaking in his own rage and his teeth are clench so tight together, they might break any minute now.

"You have no idea. You don't understand any of it so stop being an asshole and feel pity for once in your damn life!"

"Now the both of you stop it." Hearing him, both blondes stop their argument and he look at the man who stopped them. Maybe the oldest and most mature adult amongst them right now, but man does he sound upset. "We all lost something. Don't go off acting like you're the only ones. As much as it pains me to be this harsh but you need to hear this. They're dead. All of them. There is nothing we can do to change that. We can feel anger for how it happened and we can feel all the guilt we want but it happened. The past is in the past. It's not easy to forget but all we can do is move forward because unlike us, the world isn't going to stop just because their lives did." He pauses to let the words sink in. It did for all of them. Some of them were sad about it, one tried to look detached, and another looked really ready to just climb a mountain and scream to the world. But then just like that, Madara became the happy uncle again who wants to spoil everything a second later. "Now then. Let's get inside and get this show on the road!" Then he starts coughing again from his excitement. "Cough, cough, cough."

"Maybe you should calm yourself, Madara-san," Juugo suggests, sounding worried for the older Uchiha. "You appear very sick. You shouldn't have pushed yourself remodeling."

But the guy tells him, "I wanted my family to feel safe under this roof so getting a little sick is no problem."

"A little?" Kabuto asks, thinking that was an understatement. "You look like you just popped out of the grave."

Because it was so small and his face is covered anyway, Madara lets a small smile grace his lips. The only proof of that is his voice that sounds like he's smiling. "In a way, I sort of did."

What no one noticed was that they were all missing Kisame.

* * *

Fugaku and Mikoto became the first to enter their room and Itachi entered last so he can put the bags down and get out of there as soon as he can. Rather on automatic or not, not even he wants to be anywhere near these two. After inspecting the room, Fugaku nods in approval. Thank god. "This room will do nicely." He turns to his son and with his voice being the only thing that sounds pleased, he says, "Thank you for bringing our stuff in. I only hope that uncle of yours isn't planning something outrageous." Itachi doesn't say anything to that, nor does he give anything away on his face.

Mikoto tries to plea, "Fugaku, please. Madara onii-sama means well."

The man turns to his wife and he tells her, "I just don't want you involved in any of his indecent activities, Mikoto. That's all." Looking a bit unhappy to hear him speak of her older brother like that, Mikoto looks down at the ground, unknowing of what to say.

Now is the time to leave.

"If you'll excuse me, I still need to unpack," Itachi tells them. Only Mikoto looked like she was caught off guard as Fugaku is studying him as if he were testing his son. But he nods.

"Fine. You're excused."

Itachi doesn't even give him a nod of thanks before turning to the door to leave.

"Ano?" Catching the small mumble of his mother, Itachi does stop and he gives the woman a small glance as she asks, "Would you like me to help you, Itachi?"

At this, Fugaku looks disapproving. So Itachi answers, "I'll be fine. Besides, you need to unpack your own stuff, mother." And the head of the family becomes pleased once again.

Mikoto looks defeated again and she meekly answers, "Oh, okay." And with that, Itachi leaves the room and closes the door behind him.

This is going to be a long week.

Besides the door there was a counter and when Itachi moved the side, his hand gently touched it. When he did, he hears crying. Confused, Itachi listens to it a little bit more inventively. Who would be crying?

Then he hears something dripping into a puddle. Like a leaking pipe or something but it's only the dripping sound. Not the sound of water dripping from the pipe. The only problem is that Itachi can't detect where the sound is coming from and he doesn't recognize it right away. He feels like he should know the person who is crying but he can't put his finger on who it is.

Then he hears that voice calling for someone.

"Onii-san."

He only knew one person in his life who would ever say that and from that honorific alone, he knows exactly who it is. But it's not possible.

"Izuna?" he asks, turning around to look for someone who should be dead. He first looks down the hallway towards the front door and no one's there. He turns to the other end of the hallway and that's when he sees someone running up the stairs.

It was only for a moment but he saw him.

He saw someone with raven black spiky hair.

"Itachi!"

The long straight hair Uchiha slightly jumps from the calling of his name and he sharply turns around to see Kisame standing behind him, now surprised that he got such a reaction from his friend. "Wow. Did I scare you?"

Calm down, Itachi. It was probably just your imagination. Just a remolded house full of memories playing tricks on your mind. Remain calm. Remain calm…

"No, you did not, Kisame," he answer retaining back his composure. "I thought I saw something. That's all."

"Maybe there are ghosts here." The masculine fisherman says this with a creepy voice and he wiggles his fingers right in front of Itachi's face as if he were trying to scare a child. What is he expecting from Itachi? A girly squeal?

To get the fingers out of his face, the Uchiha heir grasps one of Kisame's hands and he crushes it. Not hard enough to break any bones but hard enough to cause the bigger man some pain. Then to make it worst, Itachi suddenly twists it in one direction and the man yelps. "Don't even joke about that." Itachi releases the hand and once shark loving man a moment to check that all of his bones are in the right place and his hand will work just fine. "Didn't you learning anything about respecting the dead?"

After checking to see that it's in one piece, Kisame turns to Itachi and smiles softly at the shorter man. "I've learned a lot over the year." Then he shakes his hand and slightly cries, "Oww…"

Before his moaning, he said the words before with such care and sensitivity that it even catches the graduated Uchiha off by surprise. He looks him up and down as if he were analyzing a suspect for a crime before he starts questioning him. "Why are you here? You should be helping the others outside"

Then it became Kisame's turn to be taken off guard. But he tries to smile as friendly as he can before saying, "I came to see how my best friend is doing. That's all. I am worried after all. Out of everyone, except your uncle of course, you called that one time six months ago, you didn't say a word to anyone. I wanted to say thanks for talking to me, even if it was just one word."

No use hiding it then.

"You were drunk. How can you remember that?" Itachi states before walking pass the taller man to the front door to see if he can still help unpack. Especially now since one of their heavy lifters has abandoned them.

Kisame follows shortly behind him.

"Believe it or not, I have learned to hold my liquor over the past twelve months."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm serious! If there was whisky in this place, I would prove it."

"I highly doubt Madara has anything like that in the house. We have one minor."

"But remember the secret stash we found last time? Why don't we check?"

"He remolded the house, Kisame. And giving you whisky is the last thing I ever want to do again."

"It was one time! The bar is still standing!"

And the conversation continued but as the two of them walk away, the talking became softer and softer in the hallway. When someone was sure that they were gone, a pale hand came creeping out from the second floor. Then a whole arm, a leg, and then a body comes peeping out and watches the two exit the house. However, just because someone came out, doesn't mean that person was in one piece. When the hand came out, it was attach to an arm but the arm wasn't attached to the body. Neither was the leg, the chest, or the head. It was all in pieces with multiple bite marks on the flesh. But when the head came out, it was being carried by a different person. Someone with the same body color as the head he's carrying. Chalky pale, deathly white.

"Kiiiiiisssaaammmeeee…."

A single name escapes the head's mouth and a toothy smile appears. As for the person who's holding the head, his neck is in a distorted position. There are bruises all over his body but the wound that stands out the most on his body besides the neck is his throat. It's all torn up with the fingernails that are coated with his blood and skin under them. Besides the terrifying skin color, what both of these people have in common are the dark circles surrounding their eyes and their eyes big enough to have their eye balls come rolling out of their sockets. As the short white hair head watches the bigger man leave, the one holding him has his eyes glue to the small one.

"Nii-san…you came."

Let the horror begin.

**

* * *

**

So what do you think? Good? Bad? Let me know. I will probably be able to unleash my set of intros within three or four hours after this chapter has been uploaded. I don't know. Matters on how my life is. The title will be: Which ItaSasu Story Is Next?

**If the title is lame, let me know.**

**The Game Question: Who will be the first to die?**

**See ya later!**


	6. Hiking Trip

**A/N: Hi guys! Okay, I must apologize to you all for this. I am so, so, so, so, SO sorry that I haven't updated in like forever. I was working on this chapter because I figure get this story done for the sake of Halloween but it ended up being so long! (and cursed school for keeping me away from working on it! UGH!) So what I decided to do was divide it. Makes sense anyway considering that the chapter was going to have like three events happening in it. So what I decide to do is I am not going to update any chapters for this story unless someone dies! Well someone living currently dies like Kabuto, Juugo, and all of them. As you read this chapter and the next one, you will understand what I mean. I will also have the results of my question the last chapter on the chapter where someone actually dies. I believe I have… only one person who got it right. Well that's okay, it's only the start of the horror so I understand. I will also have the next question with the results.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. I would cause some happiness if I did because right now, Kishimoto is irritating the crap out of me! UGH! Anyway, thank you for waiting so patiently and thank you all so much for the reviews! I'm sorry for taking so long and I might miss my dead line…crap… Oh well. I'm thinking about a Halloween one-shot anyway… Thanks and enjoy!**

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Ch. 4: Hiking Trip

"Ah, now this is the life, un!" Deidara exclaims after turning around to face his friends who are following not too far away from him on the mountain path. They all look up at him when he did that. "Nothing like a good old hike to get your mind off things. Right, un?"

'_At least one of us is trying to be cheery,' _Kabuto thinks before releasing a massive exhausted sigh and leaning on his knees while trying to get the air back in his lungs and the pain in his legs to subside.

After finally unpacking their stuff, Madara instructed on who's sleeping where and all of their rooms are pretty much on the second floor. Madara's original room was on the first floor so it's like the parents or anyone over thirty are on the first floor and the second floor has the children. What many argued about is Naruto has the room directly across from Itachi's, Juugo has his next to Naruto's and directly across from Kabuto whose room is right next to Itachi's, and Deidara has his room next to Kabuto's. Naruto didn't want a room anywhere near Itachi and Deidara wanted to be near Itachi for 'comfort and safety' measures. The young Uchiha didn't seem to care. Madara told them that he already allowed Fugaku and Mikoto to change rooms. He's not going to do it again. And then Naruto started to argue about those two getting the special treatment. That was when Deidara brought on the idea of a hike. Anything to stop the screaming and the useless bickering. For a vacation that's supposed to bring these people together, this really is going to be one very long week.

"But w-why does it ha-have to be so d-damn cold?" Kisame asks shivering in the freezing wind of the mountain, his arms wrapped around himself to keep the warmth inside his body. He knew that it was going to be cold up here in the mountains, for some strange and unknown reason in the beginning of summer, so why didn't he bring a jacket? Did he even pack one?

Enjoying the nature all around them and being the tree-huger that he is, Juugo takes a moment to breathe in the fresh air and he smiles. He hasn't been out in the wilderness in so long. He turns to everyone and says, "It's a shame that Madara-san couldn't come. He has to stay home because of his cold."

Finally getting some air in his lungs again but sounding a little breathless, Kabuto tells him, "I don't know if shame…is really…the word you want to use…Juugo." After getting one more deep breathe into his body, he stands up straight and says strongly, "He would have been the most enthusiastic of us all and I'm not so sure I can handle two hyperactive people."

Deidara gives him a small glare for hearing that. "We can't all be depressed or the hike wouldn't be as fun. Two of us are already two shades in the wind, un." And who he's refereeing to are the two people at the back of the group trailing behind; Naruto and Itachi with a broken broom for a walking stick.

Before they left, Deidara heard about Itachi walking from the start of the creepy trail to the house so he went in the house, there was a loud _crack_, and Deidara came out with what he calls a walking stick. All it was really was a broom stick without the head. They then ran away before they could hear Madara or, even worst, Fugaku screaming about it and no one wants anymore drama than there already is.

Nobody really knows why Naruto is walking at the same speed as Itachi. With his energy and physical ability, he should reach the same measure of distance as Deidara. But yet again, while one looks completely fine and almost oblivious to everything around him like always, Naruto is the one emitting off the frustration, the anger, the hatred, and the irritation. He can probably get rid of the irritation if he doesn't walk so close to Itachi.

"I'm not depressed!" he yells, ready to burst like an angry volcano.

"Then why do you have such a murdering aura around you?" Kabuto asks, really not believing the teenager's answer.

"Because out of the three people I simply can't stand, I'm walking right next to him!" If he's complaining, move then.

"Calm yourself," Itachi tells him, finally speaking since they left the summer house. The attention turns to him, one more fiery than others. "I only came on this hike because Deidara was so persistent that I do. If hiking right next to me is such a bother to you, I suggest walking faster."

Then Naruto got even angrier. "Who the FUCK do you think you are? Who died and gave you the right to be telling me what to do!" Why does he need to scream in the middle of the forest? He could cause an avalanche.

Now getting a little tired of his screaming, Itachi simply answers, "I am just someone who is trying to get by," before starting to continue his hike up the mountain. With a snare, blood-thirsty glaring eyes, and practically a growl rumbling in his chest, Naruto snaps. He grabs the collar of Itachi's shirt and slams him into a tree. It happened so fast, it took a lot of people off guard. Deidara gasped, like everyone else, and then started on his way down to help his friend; taking a while because he's going down on a steep side of the mountain.

Itachi still looks impassive to the teenager's anger as Naruto growls, "Do you think you're such hot stuff? Well you're not! I am sick and tired of your attitude and I fully do not understand why the hell you came here! Even if everyone else was so forgiving, what kept you from thinking that they wouldn't?"

"As I said before, I only came here on a promise I made to my uncle," he answers. "Nothing more and nothing less."

That only made Naruto all the more angrier and a rather large branch above them begins to break off from the trunk of the tree.

"You're a heartless bastard, you know that? You have no feelings at all!"

"I've been empty for a long time, Naruto-kun. You should have realized it then."

And that was Naruto's limit. Not only was Itachi being a smart mouth to him, he's talking to the younger blonde as if he were an idiot. He was already on a short fuse the second Fugaku got here and Itachi is not helping that fuse get any longer. Getting fully sick of this guy's attitude, one hand releases the Uchiha's prodigy's collar and pulls back for a fist. Then the branch falls off.

"Stop it, Naruto!" Deidara yells, grabbing Naruto before he could punch Itachi and pulls him back away from him – right when the branch falls in between Itachi and the two blondes.

_Thump_

When it landed on the ground, it looked like a fine line between Itachi and the now shocked blondes. That branch just came out of nowhere and it was freakin close to Naruto's body. Itachi appears a little surprise himself from this because the branch appears six inches thick and it looks healthy. It's not dying and there hasn't been a strong enough breeze to knock it down. Besides the three people in close contact with the branch, Kabuto, Kisame, and Juugo are surprised themselves to have witness that. Silence fills the forest and all any of them does is stare at the thick, healthy branch.

"That was freaky," Deidara breathes out, once he was able to think a little. Out of everything he could say, that's the only thing that came out of his mouth? But it's true. That was freaky and scary. If Deidara had not pulled Naruto away when he did, that boy would have been harmed. Or worse. He would have been killed.

_Rumble_

But the group did not just hear that rumble just now. They felt it. It was only for a moment but after the little aftershock, it made all of them stumble. Itachi didn't as much as the others since he instantly grabbed the tree behind him to keep him balanced. Then it stopped a minute later. It was short but to the group, it felt longer. Once they were all steadily standing, Kabuto becomes the first to speak.

"Was that…an earth quake?" he asks in very deep confusion. That was something they would all like to know. But before anyone could answer, Juugo hears something.

"Hold on. You hear that?"

All of them went silent. They didn't say a word, didn't move, and didn't try to pant so loud. They stood there, their hearts started to beat very loudly in their ears, but not loud enough for them to miss the soft sound of something rumbling. But that rumbling gets louder and louder fast. Finally hearing where it's coming from, they all look further up the mountain to see a mud version of an avalanche.

"Landslide!"

Thank you, Deidara, Naruto, and Kisame for pointing out the obvious.

Quickly, both Juugo and Kabuto turn around to see if they can escape and the four-eyes white hair man sees a rather large, tall tree with close range branches for them to climb on and several vines hanging from high above. At the moment, it's the perfect escape from certain death.

"Over there! That tree!" he yells before running towards it. They all watched him for a moment before they all started running. The landslide rolling shortly behind them.

The large tree is quite a ways from them and the landslide is coming at them faster and faster every second of the way. Kisame asks on the way down, "How the hell can there be a landslide when it hasn't rained on this god damn mountain?"

Deidara yells out, "There can be a landslide when it hasn't rained, Kisame!"

Naruto asks, "Can you two just move your asses?"

Oh kami…

Kabuto becomes the first to reach the tree and he becomes the first to climb up. Then it became Kisame. As Kabuto quickly climbs up to the highest and strongest branch on the tree, Kisame comes up next but when he grabbed the bark, it was too damp for him to climb.

"What the hell?" he screams. "The tree is fricken wet! It rained!"

Deidara, Naruto, and Itachi arrived around the same time but they had to wait a moment for Juugo to catch up and he instantly rushed into action. He got in front of Kisame and folded his hands one on top of the other and he lowers it to knee level. "Hurry!" he yells. Getting at what he's trying to do, Kisame puts his foot on Juugo's hands and the large orange hair man uses as much strength as he can to lift up Kisame into the tree. Luckily the large dark hair man catches a branch that doesn't feel wet and he starts climbing up to follow Kabuto.

Next became Naruto but he just leaped onto the tree like a cat running from an agitated dog. He didn't need help. But on his way up, he realizes something. _'The tree isn't wet. What the heck was Kisame talking about?'_

Next became Deidara and once he was on, Juugo turned to Itachi, who didn't jump onto the tree as quickly as the two blonds did, and he tells him, "Hurry and get on!"

And it was right after he said that did Naruto's foot stepped on a wrong piece of wood and lost his grip.

"Waaaahhh!" he screams as he falls. When Deidara looked up, he sees Naruto's body falling towards him so to avoid it, he presses himself to the tree. Then he tries to grab Naruto's hand to catch him once he was able to move again but his one grip on a branch breaks and he pulls his other hand back to grab another branch to hold himself up. He looks back at Naruto with a gasp now realizing that he's out of reach.

"Naruto!" he yells, still reaching for him as if expecting his arm to suddenly grow ten feet long and catch the younger blonde.

Hearing him, both Juugo and Itachi look up to see Naruto's falling body. Juugo catches him before he hit the ground and he asks, "Are you alright?" once the boy was securely in his arms.

"I'm alive, if that's what you mean." This is not the time for remarks like that!

"Can you still climb?"

Just to be sure, Naruto tries to rotate his feet but when it came to the foot he lost his footing on, it hurt. He winces from the pain. "I think I twisted my ankle."

Itachi looks back up the mountain and the landslide is getting closer and closer. The most time they can afford is forty seconds. He turns to Juugo and orders, "You carry Naruto-kun up the tree. I'll follow right behind you."

Thinking quickly and knowing that he doesn't have time to argue about it or change plans, Juugo nods and then places Naruto on his shoulder before he starts climbing.

Twenty more seconds…

Right when the landslide was just about to hit the massive tree, Itachi was able to start climbing the tree once given enough space. He too noticed that the tree isn't wet.

When Kabuto finally reached the long and super thick branch, he grasps onto it for dear life before panting form the excitement of running and getting up there as fast as he can. He clearly needs to get back into shape. "Hey!" Kabuto looks behind him and he sees Kisame trying to get up. "Can ya move?"

"Oh!" and the silver, pony tailed haired man starts crawling to get out of the way. "Excuse me." But as he crawls, he feels something that does not feel like wood. It feels…scaly. He lifts his hand up and looks to see that he has grasped a snake and it hisses at him as soon as it became face to face with him.

"Holy mother…!" Kabuto drops the snake to the ground below him and he jumps up into a standing position as the snake hisses and bears its fangs until it reaches the running landslide below them. However because of his sudden jump up, he begins to fall backwards and he became out of reach for the tree branches above him to hold his ground. "Whoo..whoo…whooo!"

Then a hand grabs his collar and he looks to see Kisame standing on the branch, holding onto the branches above his head, and his other hand grasping the glasses man's collar. "That would be a nasty fall." Since he moved far enough, Deidara soon comes up as well as Juugo with Naruto on his shoulders.

"That's an understatement."

Kisame pulls Kabuto back up and the silver hair man grasps a branch to steady himself as Deidara does the same when he stood up. Juugo places Naruto up against the trunk so he can lean against it as his twisted foot rests on the branch. He kneels before the younger blode, acting like balancing on tree branches is as simple as balancing on solid ground and checking on the teenagers ankle.

After inspecting it, he nods and informs like a doctor, "Only a twist. Nothing serious. The pain should go away sure enough in a few moments."

Then Deidara notices their one missing member.

"Where's Itachi?" he asks, the fear and great concern visible in his voice.

"I'm right here, Deidara."

Turning to the voice, mostly everyone leans out a little to see Itachi balancing himself on a branch on the opposite side of them. From what he noticed on the way up is if he goes up to the same branch as the others, not only will it be crowded, he might add too much weight on it. It looks strong, but everything has a limit. So he moved to another branch for safety measures. At least he's alive, alright, and visible for all of them to see. That's the great relief.

"Are you okay over there?" Kisame asks. Itachi only nods. He's too busy looking down at the landslide beneath them to look at them. Why is there a landslide here at this time and why does it look so runny like it's a flood instead.

However, as he's looking down, the Uchiha heir sees something starting to come down with the landslide. He sees something white sticking out. Maybe a white branch or something but for some reason Itachi feels a little drown to that white thing. As he looks closer at the white thing, he sees that it is actually a white arm. The others must have seen it because Itachi hears all of them gasp at the sight of it coming closer with the current. The young Uchiha looks at the tree he's climbed on to try and find a vine long enough for him to reach the bottom and strong enough to hold him. If there is a hand down there, it must mean that there is a person down there and if that person is not saved, that person can be buried alive! Once found, he grasps it, ties the end of it around his wrist several times, and starts sliding himself down with his tied wrist still holding onto the vine.

When Deidara sees him at the corner of his eye, his first reaction became shock and then a scream. "Itachi!" The other four look from the white hand to who might be the stupidest man who ever lived. What kind of idiot goes down in that forest avalanche when obviously, there might be no help for that person who might already be dead! Thinking as quickly as he could, Juugo looks around him for his own vine.

When Itachi was close enough to reach and not get mixed up in the landslide, that appears to continue running endlessly down the mountain, the Uchiha heir still had some extra vine that if he lets go, he might get run over with the landslide like a man overcome by a flood. Shortly after he reached the bottom, the hand comes up. From the looks of it, the hand appears to belong to that a male roughly around the same age as him possibly. However, there is something oddly familiar about this hand. He'll think about that later. He needs to catch it first. But when he does as soon as his hand grasped the white hand, something shocks him like he's just been shocked by lightning. The hand is freezing cold, yes but it wasn't what shocked him.

It was what he saw instantly after grasping this pale, freezing hand that shocked him. It was as if something grasped his spirit and mind and took him to a different place, at a different time.

* * *

The first thing Itachi notices is that wherever he ended up in it's raining. He can feel the rain touching his body but he's not getting wet and he doesn't feel the full force of the rain drops landing on him. It feels like he's there but not actually there. He's not hanging on the vine and he's not holding onto a freezing cold hand. He looks around and he's in a neighborhood he's not completely familiar with. He feels like he's been here but maybe only on a once or twice visit. Since it is raining, there is a storm. The trees are bending and the wind is blowing through their leaves at like an almost attempt to pull them out the ground. He feels the wind but at the same time, he's not affected by it. This is the kind of storm that you would rather prefer to be inside if you want to be safe.

Itachi feels the rain but is not getting wet and he feels the wind but is not getting blown away. What the heck is going on?

As the Uchiha prodigy turns around, first wondering how he got here and why this place appears so familiar, he comes across a very peculiar sight behind him. He sees someone in front of what appears to be a pile of mud, probably an aftermath of a landslide. However in this pile of mud, there are pieces of wood that appear to have been part of a dog house and they are all near the person digging through the mud, as if searching for something. Because of the rain, Itachi can't make out who it is.

Until that person spoke.

"Juugo, just hang on! I'm coming!"

Kimimaro?

Just to be sure that he's not hearing things, Itachi takes a hesitant step closer and then another, and another, and another – until he's only several meters away from him. Then there became thunder and lightning and with the small moment of light, there was no doubt about it. Kimimaro is sitting in front a big pile of mud, digging through it. The rain has already soaked through his now muddy clothes, his hands are completely covered in mud, his eyes are wide with anxiety, and his breathing sounds more like a panic pant.

"Juugo! Juugo! Don't give up on me, please!"

He sounds hysterical. But how is this possible? Kimimaro is dead and yet he's here right before Itachi's eyes. How can the Uchiha man even be here and see all this anyway? Is this even real? Is he actually seeing Kimimaro digging through the mud looking for Juugo? When was this?

Then Itachi hears something coming. He looks up and he sees a giant landslide coming down from the mountain. For some strange and impossible reason, it looks like the landslide that was coming after the young Uchiha and his friends. This time, however, it's coming for Kimimaro but he's completely oblivious to it because he's still trying to unearth Juugo.

"Where are you? Why can't I find you?"

What any person would do was run to the person in danger and save them, for those who are able to move quickly and easily at the first sign of danger and possibility death, and that is exactly what Itachi does and intends to do. This could all just be a hallucination of something that possibly happened when Kimimaro died but seeing him right there, unaware to what's going to happen to him, asking over and over again of where his fiancé might be, Itachi couldn't help it. He started running to Kimimaro in hopes of grabbing his arm and pulling him back but right when he was going to get a grip on Kimimaro's shoulder, his hand went right through it.

"Where are you? Where are you? Where are you? Juugo!"

What in the world?

No doubt about it. This is a hallucination, but Itachi should have suspected that! If this is only an image of the past then there is nothing he can do to change what already happened. He really shouldn't be that surprised when he pulled his hand back and gasped when it didn't grab Kimimaro.

Then the landslide came colliding with not only Kimimaro but Itachi as well. Not paying attention, the landslide hit them both like a giant wave at the beach. But then it gets weird again. Itachi felt the hit of the landslide but when he falls back, it was like he was taken someplace else. Someplace so dark and black, he couldn't even see his body. If he was buried by the mud, it would be the same thing but he doesn't feel crushed or unable to move under it. If he does move a limp or even a finger, he'll be able to move it freely without any problem. And he did, shortly after discovering that he's no longer outside in a rain storm but in a dark, dark room that instantly made him feel very alone and a little too panicky for his normal emotionless self.

Itachi first moved his head when he realized that he's in a new place and he tries to stand up. For some oddly reason, he feels a little shorter than he did before. Maybe not kid size short but shorter none the less. This new place that he's in, it feels cold. That he can tell. It's cold, it's dark, and it's isolated. Unable to see even the hand right in front of his face, Itachi feels a little loss. Strange. He's hardly felt any emotion since he went back to school and now he's feeling a whole bunch of feelings; mainly loneliness and fear, lots and lots of fear. Almost like…like…

They're not his emotions.

Trying to get a grip on what might be the last bit of sanity in his mind, Itachi tries to find his way out of this place, or at least figure out where he is. He raises his hands up to feel anything as he walks. He just walks aimlessly around the dark, dark place. Trying to find anything at all and possibly hoping that he's not just in some black abyss. But it is really cold. If he could see, it wouldn't be a surprise if he can see his breathe. His body is shivering, that's for certain, and the fear only increases. Maybe it's not the cold he's shivering from. It's the fear of being alone in this black place.

No one to help you.

No one to speak kind words or give you soft, gentle gestures to you.

No one to express their love to you.

That scares him as he's in this black room.

Itachi pauses in his walking and wraps his arms around him. He feels like any moment now, he's going to go insane. He just keeps shivering and the fear in his body greatly increases with each passing second he remains alone in the dark. The worst part about it is it's silent. Besides his now shivering breath, there is nothing. The silence is truly defending. Increasing the possibility of him going insane. It just sounds and feels so tense in this pitch black room. Every second that passes is like his brain getting smaller and smaller with the shrinking space in his head caused by the silence. Then…

_Bam_

His head jerks up from the sound, breaking the shrinking space that confined his brain, and then he begins to hear speaking.

"Where is he?"

"Keep your voice down. I'm trying to work."

He can't recognize the voices right away but they feel strangely familiar and in his chest, he feels a small speck of hope as that first voice speaks again. After hearing a _crash_, however.

"I said, where is he?"

Why? Why does that voice bring this form of hope of freedom or even the blissful, relieved feeling like being in the presence of a guardian angel? Itachi sure didn't understand it, but one thing is for certain. If that person finds him, he knows that he'll be safe. He'll be saved by this cruel, loneliness darkness.

"I have no idea what you are talking about and why are you here? You should be somewhere else."

That other voice strikes fear right back into the young Uchiha's chest like that voice is the center of this traumatizing feeling and the dark room is just the back up.

"You mean that college you sent me off to. Forget it, I'm never going back."

And with just a soft mumbling sound of that person's voice, Itachi feels once again at ease and in desperate need of being with that person. But that angel is not going to find him on his own. Itachi needs to help if he plans on getting out of here. So he starts rushing in his footing again and his hands reach out for maybe a wall or a door or anything! He just needs to find something to make sound with.

Then his hands find a wall.

"What are you saying? You will do no such thing! You are to return immediately!"

Quickly, Itachi pounds on the wall in hopes the person will hear him. But hearing how the conversation continues, the angel still can't hear him and because of the pounding, Itachi only hears bits and pieces of what the angel said next.

"Not without…You both… lying to me. Every time I ask if I could speak with him…he's busy or…with his friends…hasn't seen… in days…been acting strange."

Apparently that second voice can't hear the pounding either. "…discipline him…. nothing but a disgrace…taught a lesson."

This isn't going to work. If he wants to be heard, he needs to use his own voice. He should have used it before. During his pounding and desperate searching, he just feels like he needs to scream to the angel but Itachi isn't the type to scream. There were only so very few times he would raise his voice but that was only when he was angry. He wouldn't scream when he's afraid. He would be plain right speechless, but now. He needs to scream. If it'll get him out of here. He needs to scream.

"Can't anyone hear me?" he asks, raising his voice. He needs to do better than that so he tries to raise his voice even louder. "Why can't anyone find me? I'm right here! Hello?"

But it still doesn't work.

"I'm not going to ask you again. Where is he?"

Now in pure desperation, Itachi takes in a deep breath and just screams without thinking of what he was going to say.

"NII-IIIII-SAAAAAAAN!"

Hold on! Did he just say 'nii-san'?

"Sasuke?"

What in the world…

"Stop, Itachi!"

Realizing what he just screamed out and that the angel said his little brother's name, and is named after him, the Itachi in the black room backs away from the wall, or door. Now he's extremely shocked. What the heck is going on? Right now his mind is a total blank to find any logical explanations to all of this. Why did he scream 'nii-san' and why did that person call him Sasuke?

Before he could get his mind to function again, and correctly, he begins to feel faint.

* * *

As that was happening to his unconscious mind, his body is acting a little similar. Especially on the fainting part. Itachi's eyes roll to the back of his skull and his grip on the vine begins to loosen, but his grasp on the hand remains as if it were glued on. By then, Juugo obtained a strong enough vine to hold his weight and he swings down like Tarzan in Africa. Right before Itachi completely released the vine, Juugo catches him and starts swinging him back up to the tree branches, also causing him to release the pale white hand. The big masculine, orange hair man lands on one of the branches that's not as high as where the others are but is at a safe distance away from the landslide.

Juugo's first priority would be to see if the man he just saved is alright but he dared a back look at the white pale hand. It was starting to sink. But before it could, the big man saw one thing before it became completely unearthed in the landslide. There is a silver wedding band on the pale hand's ring finger.

Meanwhile, Itachi wasn't that far into his unconsciousness. In fact, his little fainting episode only lasted a few seconds. He soon opens his eyes as if waking up from a dream and then the shock of what he saw comes back to him like a piano falling from the top floor of the building. The smaller man jolts for a moment and instantly clings to Juugo out of reaction. This surprises the bigger man and causes him to give his attention back to the Uchiha he's supporting to remain in a standing position. "Wahoo! Calm down, Itachi-san. I got you, I got you. Are you alright?"

Itachi didn't respond right away. He only stands there, slightly leaning on Juugo's chest and his hand gripping onto his shirt for the life of him. He's panting from that tremendous amount of fear and that shock of just witnessing what could have happened when he came for Sasuke that one time. That fear inside that room, that loneliness, the solitude… For months, Itachi tried to live with a loneliness similar to that but he was always around people, even if they held no meaning to him. Being in that room, not being able to see what's around you and know if there is someone there or not, was that what Sasuke went through?

Is that what Fugaku made him go through?

"Itachi!"

And with the call of his name, Itachi's head snaps up to see the face of a worried long hair blond and a slightly weirded out spiky hair blond. Wait. Weren't they just on a tree trying to escape a landslide? Why is Deidara and Naruto standing in front of him?

Deeply confused, Itachi was almost at a loss for words. "Wh…What happened?"

Kabuto answers as if it's calming, common knowledge, "A tree branch just fell off a tree and nearly smashed Naruto in the head if Deidara didn't pull him away."

Hearing this, Itachi looks at them with possibly the widest eyes anyone has ever seen him reveal on his face. Forget the expressionless doll façade. What just happened is too big for him to hide.

However, Naruto turns to the blonde besides him and grumbles, "Don't expect a 'thank you', Deidara. I'm still mad at you for earlier." He received a glare for that. Almost like a little child, the long hair blonde turns to look the other way and crosses his arms in front of his chest before he said anything.

"I didn't do it to save your life anyway, un!"

"Please, you two," Juugo slightly pleads, the begging look of these two 'children' fighting clearly on his dark creamy tan skin face. "Not now."

"But…"

Itachi's small voice captured all of their attention, and it was that moment that they saw it. The fear of what he just saw and witnessed and the deep confusion on how he saw what he just saw and yet none of that actually happened. He was sure that he experienced it all. The rumbling earth beneath his feet, the running and rush to get to safety, the feel of the vine when he tried to save the white hand, whoever it belonged to, the rain, the impact of the landslide, the cold of that isolated, dark room, and the sheer of panic of never coming out and very fear of the dark and being alone in that place. The full extents of his emotions are not so conspicuous on his face. In fact, it's hardly visible but compared to the usual passive expression, it's noticeable for all of them to see. "I saw…"

Now this is taking a whole another level of freaky. First a branch that looks strong enough to have remained on the tree easily falls off and nearly cracks Naruto's head open and now Itachi looks like he just saw a ghost, or maybe something a lot worst. His well being suddenly has everyone concerned when he should be the last one of any of them to be acting like this.

"Maybe we should head back," Kisame suggests, sounding completely uneasy and worried for his friend. "You're starting to look pale."

Kabuto remarks, "He's always been pale."

That only created and even bigger vein to pulse on Deidara's head. "Pale-_r_ then, un!" he snaps, defensively.

Well didn't need to bite his head off about it. Geeze. Must still be touchy from Naruto's punch threat.

After saying his peace and before anyone could say anything else, Deidara quickly does a scan of the area to look for Itachi's walking stick that he unintentionally dropped due to someone slamming him into a tree. He found it and quickly hands it back to Itachi. "Here, un."

Looking between the worried blonde and the broken broom, Itachi's expressions relax a little bit. And a little bit is his face going back to completely blank. But almost as if he's ashamed for creating such a scene in front of them, Itachi's bangs hide his eyes again as he accepts his walking stick. "Thank you."

Seeing him like that again worries them again. Or rather it worries the rest of them but as for Naruto, he just narrows his eyes at the Uchiha. Kabuto, however, starts heading down and comments, "At least going downhill will be easier than going up."

Attention is turned to him for a moment before Naruto takes one more glance at Itachi's direction before following the silver hair man. "You need to get out more. Working is putting you out of shape."

"Unfortunately, I don't have PE for an office break."

Deidara just glares at them while Itachi looks indifferent and Juugo with Kisame is a little off guard from both of their conversations. Deidara is pissed off. Itachi just had some kind of psychiatrically moment and those two are acting like he just twisted an ankle and can't go up any more. But yet again if he actually did twist his ankle, they might be a bit more sympathetic. Or probably not.

To calm him down before he said anything, Itachi places his hand on the long hair blonde's shoulder before going down himself. Deidara looks at him from the hand and his eyes follow him as he goes down. The Uchiha heir knows that he cares but he doesn't have to get that defensive about him. Still, Deidara is worried. Since there is no longer any use arguing about the issue, Deidara, Kisame, and Juugo follow shortly behind them – not noticing the white, brown figure watching them as they leave the mountain with wide emerald green eyes staring at the ruffled orange hair man. Or the Kabuki demon-style, dark orange blonde male in a dark school's uniform with a twisted, distorted form hanging upside down from the tree the broken branch fell of off and his wide dirty ruby red eyes staring at the spiky blonde teenager. Or even the pure white outline of someone with long nightmare black hair peeking out from behind the giant tree that has several vines hanging from the branches, his wide yellow eyes watching the silver ponytail business man walking away.

**

* * *

**

Oh boy. What's going on with Itachi? And what the heck were all those visions? Just got to read and find out. See ya in the next chapter!


	7. Lies

**A/N: Yo, people! Now here is the next chapter and the last one before someone living dies. As I said, I will reveal who the murdered victim is and who the lucky guesser is. Then that person can vote. For those who participated, thank you so much for your votes and better luck next time!**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. Some changes would be made, but unfortunately that all must belong to the cruel, merciless hands of Kishimoto. Thank you for those who have reviewed and thank you especially for those who have voted. I am truly sorry for taking so long! Please forgive me! Thank you and enjoy.**

* * *

Ch. 5: Lies

"Madara onii-sama," Mikoto calls. Hearing her, Madara turns around from sink of the kitchen to see his one and only sister standing at the kitchen door way, looking at him with nervousness and guilt on her face. So much guilt…

"Yes?" he answers, a little surprised to see her look so guilty. Then he tries to look pass her and around her. "Where's your husband?"

"He went to arrange our luggage and take care of the small things of prepping the room," she answers. "He told me not to help and that I should take it easy." Then before she speaks again, Mikoto looks to the side first as if in shame of talking to her older brother. She asks, "Madara onii-sama, why did…I mean, why did you invite Fugaku and I to the summer house?" She looks back at him, hoping to see an expression on his face but with it all covered up, it's a bit difficult. "I can understand why everyone hates us and I know that Itachi despises us even more but why do you have no ill-feelings towards us?"

Now he gets it. Unlike Fugaku who is too obnoxious and smug to notice, Mikoto can tell that they both are unwanted by everyone around them and she cares. To ease her sorrowful curiosity, Madara turns completely around to face her and answers, "It's not you personally I have a problem with."

She gasped, a little surprised to hear that. From how it looks, Madara is the only one who doesn't blame her for what happened when really he should. Mikoto's surprised expression relaxes moments later and she looks back down in guilt. "With Fugaku? It's to be expected."

If she could only see his eyes behind those huge, dark sunglasses of his, Mikoto would see Madara's eyes narrow in irritation of his so called brother-in-law. He couldn't help but burst out saying, "Of all the men to marry, why did you choose him? You could have done so much better. Someone who is willing to treat you like royalty and treat your children like precious gems instead of like dogs needed to be tied down."

"He wasn't always like this," she quickly defends, much to Madara's dislike. Her voice grows meek as she says the next part. "It was because he married me and became the head of the family that he changed, a bit."

"A bit is an understatement, little sister," he tells her. "If you're trying to understand why the others hate you as much as they hate your husband, it's because you've spent too much time watching and not enough acting. One of the many main reasons why I don't like your husband is he tied you down when you were too young and was just about to experience the world for what it truly is." Why is she defending him like this? Anyone can tell that he treats his own wife the same way as how he treats his sons. The only big difference is because Mikoto gave in too easily as her sons had a stronger will. Although one of them nearly gave in out of pure fear. Now, her husband 'crimes' are just as heavy on her as they are on him; only she feels the true weight of them and is suffering from it. Madara can at least see that on her face after he said that. Being the nice older brother that he is, he lets out a sigh and agrees, "But I supposed the Uchiha laws have something to do with all of this. The family traditions are not so open-minded to this new world." Then he turns away and goes back to whatever he was doing in the sink.

What is he doing by the way? There is no water to clean dishes, let alone dishes to be cleaned. He just looks like he's just moving his hands the sink like he's trying to pretend like he's doing something. Mikoto didn't notice it. Her eyes are not on his hands. When he turned around, her eyes go to his head as if she was trying to actually look into his eyes that are hidden at the back of his head.

"You would have made a great leader, Madara onii-sama."

"As I said, the traditions are not open-minded to this new era." Then his voice becomes bitter as he comments with a voice that literally means 'the family is a complete and dense fool', "I lost my place as soon as I told them I was gay when they tried to get me engaged to some random woman worthy of the Uchiha name. Being gay or straight has nothing to do with leadership skills."

"Yes, you're right…about a lot of things."

Then he pauses. If his eyes were visible, Mikoto could see that he's looking at her from the corner of his eyes. He sees her looking back down at the ground, twisting her fingers together as she says, "It's my fault this gap between my son and us, and him with his friends was created. I'm just as guilty as much as Fugaku is. But maybe, just maybe if I hadn't tried to get married right away after you left and the laws of our family weren't so traditional, you would have been head instead of Fugaku." At least she recognizes the mistakes of her life. However Madara notices something a little deeper behind her grief-filled words.

"You sound like you regret your marriage. Do you?" he asks.

Mikoto didn't fully expect to hear that. She looks back at him with her tragic midnight eyes and they widen for only a moment. Then she looks back down. "Like you said, I did nothing to help or fix what was happening right before my eyes. Even back then I didn't do anything." She raises her arms up to wrap them around her as if she were trying to comfort herself from what she is going to say next. "All I knew was at the time when I was getting married was he used to be a man of such understanding and gentle kindness. He had such an open mind for many things. Then he became the head of the family and he changed. His understanding became limited, his kindness became cold and harsh, and his face that used to smile so carefree and warm has become hard and stern. I don't regret marrying him personally. I only regret that I let him become the new head of the family."

The way her body is postured and how soft and fragile her voice has become, Madara's suspicion has been proven. She feels guilt, lots of it and if anyone else where to hear and see her would think that's all she feels. But Madara knows her so he knows that her guilt is only a cover up to her fear.

"Now I see it. I see where Sasuke truly inherited his isolophobia."

This time when Mikoto looks at her brother who then turns completely around to face her again, she looks like she's being accused of murder she in indeed committed but hide that fact away with a pitiful, sorrowful charade. She's been caught red handed but she will reject the idea to cover it up.

"Technically phobia is not genetic but it can be influenced. I know for a fact that Sasuke didn't get it from his father, but from his mother as Itachi gained that antisocial personality of his from his father." But Madara secretly thinks, _'However, that's not entirely true. He's only been completely antisocial for a year…'_

Mikoto on the other hand is baffled. "Wha-… Madara onii-sama, what are you talking about?" Bingo. She's caught.

"I mean, you're the one who's really afraid of being alone. Even those who married their husband out of pure love and saw them change over the years, those wives would try to help their husbands remember who they once were or leave them if they harm their children. You didn't want to be alone and so, you allow the Uchiha laws and Fugaku to walk all over you like a fresh new carpet and to make it worst, you've allowed them to walk over your sons as well." She jolts from his words. It was like his words were the truth of her dark reality; the true intentions behind everything she has ever done in her life, the spec of darkness in her fragile, weak heart. Madara calms down his approach so he can say, "Although, I do have one question for you. Did you marry Fugaku because it was out of pure love or that I was kicked out the house and Izuna left to take care of me? Did you only get married so you wouldn't be alone in that place?"

Really, Mikoto shouldn't need someone to tell her this. She knows all of this, and yet she needs someone else to read her and tell her these things so she can know that her words are the cruel reality of her existence. She needs someone to tell her so she can break the chains that have been holding her back. She needs someone to tell her so she can change. But for now, all she needs to do right now is confess.

"I was jealous," she admits, a small, crocked smile on her beautiful porcelain face with her midnight black eyes shining from the tears that threaten to leak out. Well one thing is for sure is Madara didn't really expect to hear that. This time, Mikoto doesn't look away as she continues to admit, "Truly I was. You two were inseparable. Like two halves of a whole living in a world I could never enter. I knew I would never fully belong with you two, no matter how hard I try. I'd always wished for something like that. I was…so empty. Completely and utterly empty. Then you two left and I thought I was going to go insane. It was always about the laws in that house. You have to do this, you have to do that, an Uchiha can't do this, an Uchiha must never do that, you mustn't let the influences of your brothers influence you! I thought I was going to going to go mad in that house. Then Fugaku appeared in my life and for the first time in my life, I didn't feel so empty anymore. I thought I could go on in my life."

Looking at her eyes alone, she appears a little bit mad herself. She wasn't behaving like her usual 'in need of self-esteem' self. She was speaking the truth and nothing but the truth and sometimes the truth can be crazy. Instead of judging her, Madara continues to look at her as if he were observing something, trying to find the truth within truth

"And now?" he asks.

Mikoto shrugs her shoulders and answers as the tears now pour out of her eyes and leak down her cheeks like crystal marbles, "And now, I feel emptier than I ever did before. My boys were the same as you and Izuna-nii. They both were two halves of a whole. Seeing them like that, I was relieved with knowing that they would never be alone. They would always have each other. They wouldn't have to feel the same emptiness I did, but I was wrong. The only way for them to feel it is to lose that half!" Mikoto raises her hands to her eyes and she hides her face away from the world in her shame. "Even you felt it when you lost Izuna-nii. Itachi has every right to hate me. I took away his brother. I allowed it to happen. I…"

She was starting to become a little hysterical and that was when Madara decided to approach her.

"Shh, sh, sh… It's okay, calm down, calm down," he tries to comfort as he stands right in front of her. In her need of comfort, Mikoto tries to lean against him and feel his arms holding her and telling her that everything is going to be alright but she wasn't able to. She was going to lean her body against him but Madara stopped her by using his hands to grab some of her hair and lightly keeping her away from him. Don't want her to get sick now, do we? But the older Uchiha sibling's face crunches up in his guilt to not hold his younger sister. He could only grasp her hair and lean his forehead lightly against hers forehead.

Mikoto doesn't seem to mind. Just having his presence near her is enough.

"From the kind and gentle part of your heart, I know that you wanted to say something but you keep holding yourself back. You need to stop that or you'll lose more than you can bear. Maybe it's about time you start speaking for yourself. Once people start seeing how courageous you really are, like the little sister I used to know so well, more people will stand besides you than you think. You already have me." She stops crying then. His words surprised her and she looks up at her older brother's face, or at least as much as she can, through her skinny, slightly long-nails hands. Looking at him, she can see that her older brother must be smiling at her. "That's why I invited you, little sis."

Mikoto's eyes widen when she heard that. It was like someone really did just broke her chains. Someone listened to her truth, figured her out, and told her that no matter what she did, he would always remain at her side. It was the greatest relief anyone could possibly give her. "Madara onii-sama…" It was the first forgiveness anyone has given her for a really long time.

Madara starts petting his little sister's hair, seeing her expression like that. From an older brother's point of view, it's adorable to look at; despite how she got it. Then at the corner of his eye he sees movement. He looks and outside the window he sees the 'children' returning. "Oh, the kids are back." Quickly Mikoto looks away from her brother to the window and she sees her son coming back to the summer house with his 'walking stick' and Deidara stuck to his side like glue in case of assistance. Madara takes a side look at her and asks, "You alright?"

Hearing that question, Mikoto starts straightening herself – rubbing her tears away, fixing her clothes, straightening her hair, and trying to breath in through the nose and out the mouth. "Yeah. Maybe I can try greet them. It won't be pretty, but it's a start right?" Once she was done, she looks back up at Madara and there is a smile on her face. The tearstains are still visible on her face and her eyes are red and a little puffy so there is proof that she's been crying, but seeing the cheery smile on her face is admirable and it's beautiful.

It makes Madara put on a gentle smile on his face, if it could be seen. "Yep."

Meanwhile, Itachi's group returns from the forest and they enter the summerhouse. During the journey there, Deidara insisted on Itachi entering the house first so that he could sit down and that made at least two people unhappy but who is the one who nearly got clobbered into a tree, saw something unexplainable, and is acting like he just saw a ghost and that ghost walked right through him – giving him chills up and down his skin and fear in the very center of his gut. It's amazing really that for someone who had just gone through something traumatizing with an enormous amount of fear can easily cover it up with an emotionless mask. Once inside, Deidara asks, "Hey, Itachi. Do you want to sit down, un? You should rest, un."

The long hair blonde is by Itachi's side and he was holding his arm as if escorting him in but once they were in the house, Itachi politely brushes Deidara's hands off him and he answers, "I'll be fine, Deidara."

What the short spiky hair blonde cannot understand is why is this guy getting the special treatment? To his eyes, the long straight hair Uchiha doesn't even deserve a scarp of sympathy and yet so far, he's been treated like fragile glass. If he is fragile glass than he should be dropped and broken till he can no longer pick the pieces up again. Then he'll be out of their hair. All Naruto can do now is just watch and glare while many are worried.

Before another word is said, Madara comes in with Mikoto following behind him and he greets, "Hey, kids! What's up?" But he didn't give them the chance to answer because one look at Itachi and he too gives the guy the special attention. "Wow, Itachi. You look pale. At least, paler than usual."

Mikoto comes out from behind Madara when she heard that. For those who just noticed her, they're a little surprise that she's here but as for Itachi, not so much. She approaches her son and her hand gently touches his face as she asks, "Itachi, sweetie, are you alright?"

Before he could say or even do anything, a cough is heard. Itachi looks at the source and he sees Madara with his arms crossed in front of his chest. If his eyes weren't covered, for the hundredth time, his eyes brows might be raised to say 'be nice.' Itachi can see that and when he looks back at his mother, he can see her red eyes and the tear stains still on her face. Something must have happened. Maybe being a little nice wouldn't hurt.

So Itachi gently removes his mother's hand from his face and tells her, "I'm fine, mother. Thank you for your concern." Then he walks pass her and hands his 'walking stick' to Deidara, but then the next most unbelievable thing happens.

Itachi trips.

Uchiha Itachi, the man with such grace in about everything he does that puts even the most elegant ballet dancer to shame, trips and he would have fallen on the floor too if it weren't for his uncle quickly catching him.

"Whoops!"

But as soon as Madara stops his nephew from falling, it happens again. Just like that hand, Madara's touch is ice cold and it shocks Itachi; taking him to a different place at a different time.

* * *

This time when Itachi was taken somewhere else, his uncle, his mother, and his friends disappear. He had to stop his fall with his hand catching a counter. But that was weird, he doesn't remember there being a counter anywhere near him in the summer house. However, when he looks up after gaining back his ground, he's not in the same house. Actually from how it looks, he's not in a house anymore. It looks like he's in an apartment and it's early in the evening. From the window, the sun is setting and it's giving off a really bright orange shine.

Besides that, he hears crying.

"_sniff_…why?..."

Hold on! He knows that voice! He just heard it earlier today with dripping sounds.

"Izuna?"

That just makes Itachi realize something. The apartment he's in is Madara's apartment. But how did he get from the summer house to his uncle's apartment and how is it possible to hear Izuna's voice again?

It's the same as asking how he ended up from hanging on a vine to getting caught in a storm and supposedly run over by a landslide with Kimimaro.

Then Itachi hears flesh pulling off of flesh.

_Rrrriiiipppp_

That very sound would have made anyone get chilled to the very center of their core but for an impassive Uchiha, it only caught him off guard that he heard something like that. Then he starts seeing visions within visions all the while hearing his deceased uncle's voice.

"Why…onii-san…"

While still standing in the same place, Itachi appears to be appearing in one point of time to a different one at a different place. One moment he's in the apartment and the next, he's standing on a side walk with local pedestrians walking by. Then he's back at the apartment for a second longer before returning.

"I…I don't get it!"

Itachi looks around this new surroundings, when he got the chance, and not far from him and for only a moment before returning to the apartment and then coming back. What he sees not far from his side is Izuna looking at something across the sidewalk with wide, shock eyes and pupils the size of dull pencil dots. When he tries to look at what he's staring at, he was sent back the apartment.

"…why did you lie to me?"

When Itachi returns, he sees what made Izuna's eyes so wide. Probably hidden away from people who don't go searching for it, the long straight hair Uchiha sees his live uncle hiding in the darkness of an ally, kissing another man. Itachi knows that other man from introductions as friends and at Izuna funeral.

"Senju Hashirama?"

Senju Hashirama was introduced by Madara to Itachi and Sasuke one time, without the presence of their parents. It sort of happened during a very interesting run in at a place Itachi can't even remember at this point. He's just surprised at this moment since he was told that Madara and Hashirama are friends, co-workers from work. He wasn't told of them ever being lovers. That could explain why at Izuna's funeral, Hashirama seemed a little too kind in his comforting for the older Uchiha man who just lost his little brother. After seeing the identity of Madara's kisser, the whole flashback disappears completely and Itachi is left solely in his uncle's apartment.

"…You said that you loved me…"

Or maybe not because then Itachi starts seeing things.

This little transfer vision wasn't the same as when he was in the middle of Konoha on a busy sidewalk. There he felt like he was there. Besides hearing Izuna's distressing questions, he heard cars driving by, the footsteps of local pedestrians, the honking of horns, and the chatter of the Konoha residences. This time, he doesn't feel like he's there. He can only see.

And he saw a boy sitting in a very familiar room next to a very familiar window, looking out. Itachi couldn't see his face. Only the raven spikes defying gravity all on their own at the back of his head.

If it wasn't a shocker enough that he can hear his dead uncle and see his live uncle kissing a guy Itachi hardly knows and Izuna caught him, seeing Sasuke sitting at a window looking outside a window just took a whole different level.

"…Sasuke…?"

Then he hears a car reversing out and then driving off. Before he can comprehend that he just heard that, the image is disappears and Itachi hears a _crash_.

"Onii-san…why?"

"_Aniki…you left…"_

Now Itachi is hearing Sasuke's voice. Before the boy died, or rather before he started getting psychologically sick, Sasuke outgrew calling Itachi 'nii-san' and started calling him 'aniki'. Since it basically means the same thing, it's not much of a lose but Itachi used to miss Sasuke calling him that. But that's a different note.

After a crash and like it was just a sudden realization, another image of Sasuke appears and this time the boy is gritting his teeth together and his fists are in extremely tight balls. Tight enough for his fingernails to pierce his skin and to cause him to bleed. Then the image disappears and Itachi sees a lighted room with the door closed and only a crack of it opened. If memory serves, that's the bathroom. For some strange reason, the recently graduated student feels very drawn to that room.

He starts walking towards it while seeing small flashes of his younger brother in his own distress and hearing him.

"…onii-san…"

"_You're a liar, aniki… A fuckin liar!"_

Sasuke slams his fists against a wall besides him before getting up and begins crashing his room. Itachi stopped walking when he began to see that. Starting again sometimes but stopping more than starting. He sees the floor and then he sees Sasuke trashing his room till it looked like a hurricane hit his room.

"Why would you say you love me when you kissed another?"

"_Why would you leave me behind, you fuckin sadistic? I hate you!"_

"…heh…That's fine…"

Hearing that causes Itachi to snap his head up at the bathroom door. The last image he saw of Sasuke was him collapsed on the ground gripping the floor beneath him and crying. It made his chest ache when he saw that and it became very, very hard for him to believe that it was something he couldn't control. How he longed to comfort his little brother but he disappeared as soon as he saw that one falling tear. Now he's permanently at Madara's and, once, Izuna's apartment and what his deceased uncle unnerved him. He quickens his steps to the bathroom door.

Only to see blood dripping down from his uncle's chin to the sink.

_Drip, drip, drip_

One by one, a drop of blood drops down to the sink. That was the first thing he saw as soon as he looked through the creak. As his eyes move from the dripping blood, he looks at the mirror and there he sees an empty eye socket in the mirror. If it were possible, it nearly felt like the empty eye socket is looking at Itachi. That gave him shivers in his skin. He also sees Izuna with three blood covered fingers ready to take his other eye out.

He looks like a mad man.

Besides the blood dripping down his face, there are also tear stains on Izuna's face. From the pain of ripping out his own eye, his face is practically covered in sweat. His hair is messy, and usually it is, but now it looks more messed up than usual. In fact, his hair almost looks a lot like Madara's hair since it's loose and all messed up from the mental pain eating away at him. He has a very wide and crazy smile on his face and his one eye that he still has attached to his body is wide and ready for the taking.

"Since you love my eyes so much, that's the first thing I can get rid of."

And Izuna rips his eye right out of him.

* * *

"Sure you are," Madara comments, holding his nephew up. But then right after he said that, Itachi jolts out of his hold and takes several steps back. Itachi has come back from yet another vision and now he's looking at his one live uncle with shock and a small bit of fear practically pouring out of his own eyes. This deeply confuses his mother and his friends and Madara just looks surprised that his nephew acted in such a way. "Hm? What is it?"

It took Itachi a while to realize that he's not in his uncle's apartment anymore. He's in the summer house with living, non-suicidal people. He's just a bit jumpy since he not only saw a second hallucination, he just saw Izuna gouging his own eyes out. But was what he saw even real? That's twice that happened and all at once. If he sees another one within the next five minutes, he might truly go insane. But why is he even seeing them? What's the whole point? Why was Sasuke involve?

Why was Madara's touch so cold?

"Nothing," Itachi was finally able to answer after a long moment of silence. One thing is for sure that he just needs to calm down…and take Deidara's advice. "It's nothing. I supposed I really should lie down. Excuse me." As quickly as he can, he walks pass Madara and goes straight to the stair case. Everyone watches him as he leaves, incase he acts weird again or he trips.

Then when he reached the staircase, he stares at it. He just stairs at the stairs as he sees something, but as far as everyone who can see him knows there is nothing there. It's just plain, clean stairs. It felt like almost ten minutes before Itachi decided to climb them. Then he was gone from their sight and the first thing Madara does is turn to the 'children' and he has his arms crossed in front of his chest like saying, 'Alright, confess!'

"Someone mind explaining to me what happened on the hike?" he asks. Mikoto turns to th children as well, wanting to know what happened to her son. For the moment, the children didn't seem to even acknowledge her and Kisame becomes the first to answer.

"It was totally weird!" he exclaims. "Naruto was going to punch Itachi-san's lights out and Deidara was going to stop him. But right when he pulled him off of Itachi-san, a freakishly large tree branch falls off of a tree and lands right in between them like a divider or something." Does he have to sound like he's freaking out?

Well his best friend did just acted like, again, something scared the life out of him; which at this point is a shocker that anything could make him react in anyway. Can't blame Kisame for acting like this.

Hearing about Naruto willing to punch Itachi, or harm him in anyway, made Mikoto gasp in worry and Madara almost looked like he's tired of these children acting so immaturely and he probably needs a drink after this. "Naruto, what did I tell you about picking fights with Itachi?"

He got a little defensive about that. "The guy was asking for it. I don't feel guilty one bit!"

'_Oh forget it,'_ Madara thinks, hearing that answer. He lets out a sigh and insists, "Go on, Kisame."

He continues, "Well then Itachi-san had this weird look on his face like he wasn't there or something. Then when we snapped him back to reality, he looked like he saw a ghost or something. It was only five seconds. A fricken trees falls from the sky, Naruto nearly got his head busted open, and Itachi-san had like a physic moment!"

"There are no such things as physic, Kisame," Kabuto butts in. Attention turns to him and he looks like he could care less. "Their cheap tricks can easily be explained through logic and science."

Then Kisame warns, "Don't question the supernatural, Kabuto. They can hear you."

Oh boy…

Kabuto looks at the biggest guy of their group with disbelief. He says, "I like to meet someone else besides you who would believe in such bogus stories."

"I believe in them."

Then the attention is turned to Madara after he said that, and like always behind that weird disguise of his, he grins at them like there isn't a care in the world. "I'm sure that whatever happened, Itachi will be fine. You guys know that Itachi is strong. He's been taking care of himself for the past twelve months and I'm sure that just being here is bringing back memories of the past. I'm sure that he's not the only one." There was a sense of tragedy in his voice. His words not only affected himself but everyone who heard him. A majority of them looked at the ground in their sorrow for their loss. Yeah, Itachi's isn't the only one who's being overwhelmed with the many happy memories they used to share at this summer house…when they were all together.

But that would be helpful if that were actually true.

"Anyway, who's hungry?" the older Uchiha male suddenly asks for a lighter mood. Then he turns to his sister and asks, "We should probably start dinner now, huh?"

It was like he was offering her an opportunity to fit right back in with them, so she takes it. "Can I help?" While the others are surprised from her eager offer of her assistance, Madara is the only one looking at her so tenderly; they assume.

"Sure."

"Oh no you're not."

Now that's a voice they didn't expect to hear and it's a voice that causes many to become over flooded with anger and hatred, some are just absolutely shocked, and Madara is just surprised to hear that. Mikoto sharply turns around to see her husband standing right outside of the hallway.

"Fugaku!" she exclaims. Oh no.

"Mikoto, go back into your room," he orders. The only one who wasn't blinded or paralyzed by their emotions was Madara and he sounded a little defensive for his sister's sake when he spoke.

"Um, not to question your orders but…" He paused to think and then he continues, "yeah I'm questioning them, but why not have Mikoto help? Obviously she wants to."

While his sister is surprised that he stood up for her, not many are. Naruto huffed and exclaimed, "If she cooks, I ain't eating! She might try to poison us."

And the adult's attention is turned to him. Fugaku uses the famous Uchiha glare at him for saying that, Mikoto is a little hurt from his words, and Madara, behind his mask, is disappointed. He calls in a warning voice, "Naruto."

If this discussion continues, a scene might be created and the last thing the only female Uchiha in the house wants is something created because of her. Quickly, she says, "No, it's alright, Madara onii-sama. If it makes them uncomfortable, I won't cook." If she had left it like that, Fugaku would have looked a little pleased, Madara would be surprised by her willingness to give up, and everyone else would have looked indifferent or sympathetic. But she didn't leave it at that. She turns towards her husband and as strong as she possibly can for him, she adds, "But I do want to help, Fugaku. At least grant me that privilege. I am sure that setting up table ware is enough for me to handle."

Mikoto is shaking. Not very much but visible enough for many to see. She almost looks like she's shivering from the cold but she's dress warmly for the weather at the summer house and her midnight eyes as she faces her Lord and master has some strength in them. Compared to her usual dominated self when facing Fugaku, she appears a bit admirable. From a weak-hearted woman that allowed her husband to control her life to taking the first step in becoming a strong independent woman, it sure made her older brother proud and it made the other almost gaping surprise. If only Itachi was here to see this.

But Fugaku on the other hand is practically analyzing his wife as if he were searching the very depth of her to figure out where she got this spunk.

Momentarily, he answers, "Very well, but if that brother of yours asks you to do anymore labor, you are to refuse him. Understand?"

Mission accomplish. It maybe one thing but it's a start. It made the female Uchiha slightly proud of herself but she dares not show it in front of the man standing in front of her. She appears too cocky and he might change his mind. As sternly as she possibly could, she nods and answers, "Yes, I understand."

Then he orders, "Now come. He does not need you now."

What the? Mikoto quickly tries to say, "But-"

"No 'but's, Mikoto!" he snaps. Her strong façade breaks then and she becomes the wimpy wife once again. She flinched and she looks up at her husband with fear and he tells her, "Be grateful that I am allowing you this one thing. You are to do nothing else, understand?"

Madara was looking at her hopefully, eager for her to keep up her strong pretense and tell him off. But if she had looked at him, she would still have the courage to do that. She didn't because Fugaku's strong, stern, black eyes have captured her full attention as if it had a firm grasp on her soul. She couldn't look away so she gave in, answering "Y-Yes…" and looking down at the ground in shame. After she answered, Fugaku nodded and turned around to leave and indicating for her to fallow like a loyal dog. She does without looking at her brother. Her eyes are glued to the floor and if she tries to look up at him, she would feel all the more worst than she already does.

As soon as they were gone, and hopefully out of ear range, Kisame turns to his friends and says, "For a moment, I thought that wasn't Mikoto." And really, so did everyone else.

But Naruto, again, snaps, "Whatever she's trying to pull, I ain't buying it no matter what she does."

"Holding grudges isn't going to get you anywhere, Naruto." And the attention is turned to the one who spoke, Madara again. When he spoke again, he sounded as if he were lost in his own world, something that the others can't comprehend or enter. "If you hold on to them too tightly then you'll be doomed into making a dreadful mistake…and it'll be too late." Then like he's been having mood swings all day or he's hiding something that no one else knows like a surprised birthday party or something, Madara appears to be smiling before turning around to return to the kitchen. "I'm going to set up dinner now. You children are free to do what you please. Just don't break anything."

When he was gone, Naruto turns to everyone else and asks, "The hell was he talking about?"

Oh good grief…

Deidara rolls his eyes and shakes his head as Kisame comments, "I think he has mood swings."

Juugo has a sweat drop on his head from that. "Really you two…" One is clueless and the other just states the obvious. This is just one confusing day.

Deidara walks away from them heads for the hallway for the stairs to the second floor. "I think I'll take a nap, un. I need to have my own rest, un." Just being with Naruto gives him a headache but as he leaves, half of the group was wondering if he's really going to go to his room or is he going to check on Itachi?

Right at the moment, Juugo can careless. He follows the long hair blonde and adds, "As will I."

Kabuto goes to his pocket to take out of his cell phone and he starts running through his contact lists. "And I need to make an important phone call. There better be reception here." Then he walks away to find a quiet place to talk in private. Finding a signal is no problem. The reception is wonderful! That leaves Naruto and Kisame left to do…something to occupy themselves until dinner.

That might be fun…

Meanwhile in the kitchen Madara stands in front of the sink again and he lets out a rather loud and stressful sigh. "Good grief…" he mutters. Usually what someone would do is take off his sunglasses and rub his eyes in his stress but he just leans over the sink and mumbles to himself. "I wonder if we have enough time."

Then there were dripping sounds.

_Drip, drip, drip_

Madara slightly jolts when he heard that. He looks at the faucet and it's completely dry. No water or anything.

"It's not a matter of how much time you have…"

As if he hears that voice daily, Madara casually turns his head to find the source of the voice and he sees Izuna sitting on the ground up against a corner, covering his eyes. Dripping down his face is bloody tears and they keep falling with every second that passes.

_Drip, drip, drip_

"…it's only a matter of how you do it…."

Then Izuna lowers his hands, only to reveal two empty eye sockets that almost appear like two black holes, leading to infinity. There are no eyes but it feels as those eye sockets are staring directly at you, like a cold knife piercing the very center of your soul.

"Ooooniiii-ssssaaaannn…."

* * *

**Oooh! Madara has seen a DEAD Izuna but he's not freaking out! Why is that? Gonna have to read and find out. See ya in the next chapter!**


	8. Before We Got Here

**A/N: Hey, guys! Oh my sticken GOD! Finally done with this cursed chapter! I didn't realize that it was going to be so long. Good idea on breaking the story into three parts or it would be like fifty pages or something. Don't want to overload you guys. I just didn't imagine my reminiscing part was going to be so long. I just got carried away there, hehe…-sweat drop-**

**Anyway! Like I promised, I will reveal who my one and only winner is for answering my question. My question was 'Who will die first?' and my answer is…**

…

…

**-drum roll-**

…

…**you gotta read the end.**

**Sorry guys!**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. For those who know me would know what kind of changes I would make or at least hurry up and update so I knows what happened to my two fav characters. I'M DYING OVER HERE KISHIMOTO! Anyway, thank you for those who have played my little game and I will reveal who won at the end of this chapter with a new question for the rest of you to answer. This time it'll be a multiple choice one and two questions so you have a chance of at least voting once or twice. I also like to thank those who have reviewed. I love every single one of them and they all inspire me to write more. Thank you and please enjoy! Oh and HAPPY BELATED HALLOWEEN!**

**I'm trying to finish up my Halloween ItaSasu one-shot but it's getting to be a real pain in the butt! Anyway, read my friends!**

* * *

Ch. 6: Before We Got Here

Itachi couldn't sleep. He was completely and utterly restless.

What exactly did he saw on the hike? Or even when he touched his uncle's unusual ice cold skin? They couldn't really be like…_visions_ of the past could they? It's just impossible and for all he knows, they could be bogus! He wasn't there when Kimimaro was buried, he wasn't there when Izuna intentionally ripped his eyes out, he wasn't there when Sasuke trashed his room, and he wasn't personally there experiencing what it was like to be in total darkness. He wasn't there, and yet he saw it. Maybe it was his own interpretation of what happened to them but why now? Why see them now of all times? Maybe it was because he came to the summer house since it was a place of once wonderful memories and now only a cruel and lonely reminder of his existence.

Well whatever the reason is, Itachi wishes that they would stop. He doesn't want any more pain then there already is for what he did to Sasuke. Abandoning him to go to college, coming back because he heard eerie rumors about him, and then abandoning him again to go to a bank when he wasn't ready to be alone quite yet. He doesn't need to know what kind of pain exactly he created for his beloved little brother.

For hours, Itachi just lies on his bed, trying to sleep but also doing the one thing he should never do. Think and remember.

_Flashback of the past one…_

"_Itachi!"_

_Hearing his name, the Uchiha heir stops walking in the hall and looks over his shoulder to see his father standing at the door way of his office. He knew it was him and he was hoping that he could avoid him but unfortunately, not today. Fugaku has that stern look on his face as always and his black eyes gaze hard at his eldest son as if he were trying to intimidate him. He can't. He never could._

"_I would like to speak to you in my office." And without another word, Fugaku renters his office and leaves the door open for his son to follow. Won't even wait for an answer, like always._

_But before Itachi could do as he was ordered, he looks forward towards his former destination and not too far from him, he sees a door that was closed before a tiny bit open to reveal a slightly concerned Sasuke peaking out. Must have heard the conversation and decided to come look and see what'll happen next. To calm his uneasiness, Itachi grins at him and lifts his index finger up to indicate 'one minute'. Sasuke gives him a 'you better' look before reentering his own room and leaving the door a creak open. If he could, Itachi would chuckle at his younger brother's behavior for being adorable in just about everything he does despite his teenage age but he has to be prepared for whatever kind of talk his father has for him. Hopefully he can finish it quickly so he can go to his brother._

_Once he prepared himself, he heads for his father's office and sees him already sitting at his desk and there is an empty chair in front of it, probably for him to sit on._

_Fugaku even instructs, "Come and sit, Itachi."_

_Itachi does enter and he closes the door behind him but he says, "I would prefer to stand, father." Fugaku narrows his eyes at him but Itachi walks towards the chair and stands behind it. His Uchiha glare doesn't work on his son, or any of the two. "I have another engagement I would like to attend to so if I may, can we make this quick?"_

_There became silence between them after that. It was like Itachi just insulted his father and it was on Fugaku's decision rather or not to actually feel insulted or to let it pass. He is not to be treated like some nothing by anyone but it has been something that he has taught Itachi all his life. Still to be talked like that is not usually tolerable._

_For once, he'll let it slide._

"_Do as you wish. But the manner in which I am to speak to you about is highly important for your future."_

_Well now this is interesting. All Fugaku ever talks to Itachi about is the future of being head of the Uchiha family and keeping the Uchiha laws alive and strong for even older generations to come. But what could he possibly wish to discuss to Itachi about that involves that. He's heard it all before, hasn't he?_

_Nodding to him was Itachi's indication for his father to continue speaking and the bomb was dropped._

"_You are to attend the ANBU University and become a detective. Everything that you will need has already been paid for and you are to leave in three days."_

_Woah, wait! What?_

_

* * *

_

Flash back of the past two…

"_Well someone looks like sunshine today," Sasuke comments, looking up at his bedroom door. There, Itachi just entered his room and closed the door behind him and man does he have a foul expression on his face._

_Sasuke was listening to some Cobra Starship music as he was waiting for him and he was still in the middle of 'The City is At War' in his Viva la Cobra album. He didn't have it on too loud that he couldn't hear the door but he had it on loud enough for even Itachi to hear it. The older Uchiha brother walks from the door to the bed and sits on it; sitting right next to his little brother as he was laid on it. Itachi lets out a stressful sigh and rubs his temple to try and calm his nerves. Well this confused the younger brother. Sasuke stops his music and pulls his earphones off. Then he moves his position to laying on it with his head sticking out from the edge and his legs up in the air. Seeing his face, Itachi looks down at him._

"_So what did the self-righteous asshole wanted to talk about this time?" he asks._

_Back then, Sasuke was like every other troubled teenager. Skip school, not paying attention in class, wore black, listened to about every metal, rock, or alternative music known to any teenager mind, practically a computer genius, got into fights once in a while, and remained as the most hot, gorgeous student at his school. He's his own genius, no doubt about that. In fact if he wanted to, he could skip grades and be on the same level of brilliance as his brother, or even beyond. But he decided to enjoy his youth and he's already made friends in his age level so why move up? You won't see them anymore. His friends included Uzumaki Naruto and Hozuki Suigetsu. They're weird and they love to get on each other nerves but they're cool. They're also part of Itachi's group of friends since Naruto is the little brother of Itachi's high school friend and Suigetsu is dating Itachi's life-long best friend._

_But the one thing that gets on Fugaku's nerves with his youngest son is the fact that Sasuke could care less about the clan and its morals. Fugaku has always been about Itachi when he was a child and Madara feels more like a father to him so when Sasuke is being rebellious and 'brings shame' to the Uchiha name, Fugaku blames it on his brother-in-law. It's actually because of Madara that Sasuke and Itachi can be as close as they are now. Itachi maybe be the good-goody too shoes when it comes to their father but it doesn't mean that he likes doing it. He admires Sasuke's spunk and willingness to disobey their father._

_Instead of answering the question, Itachi notes, "You're going to hurt your neck like that."_

"_Ah, who cares," the boy answers, even using his badass personality on the only person who actually listens and understands him. He loosens his neck and now he's looking at the wall across from him upside down as he notes, "It's my problem, not yours."_

_The older Uchiha lets out a sigh. "Can you please not give me attitude right now? I really don't want it." He rubs his temples again and Sasuke lifts his head up to look at him looking as frustrated and deep in his thoughts as he can get. Usually it's Sasuke who upset or troubled after a talk with their father and Itachi the calm, sort of carefree type. Now it feels like the opposite. And to think that he could express his 'awesome' day instead of his brother._

"_That frustrating?" he asks, a sense of understanding in his voice. Itachi nods._

"_He just went out and told me that he's sending me to ANBU University." When Sasuke heard that, his face went gaping shock. Konoha is a large country and ANBU University is at least a ten hour drive from the city the Uchihas live in. Itachi will be sent off far away and Sasuke will be left in the Uchiha mansion, alone. "He wants me to go in three days. Everything has already been set."_

"_Three days?" Sasuke quickly asks, pushing himself up into a sitting position. But in the process of that, his feet suddenly hit the back of Itachi's head and he still had his shoes on._

_**Bonk**_

"_Ow!" Itachi hisses, his hand going to the back of his head. That was a wakeup call._

"_Oh shit!" Sasuke mumbles, sitting up and realizing what he'd just done. "Ah…I'm sorry…" But the way he said that and from his expression, it almost sounded like he was asking a question._

"_Are you really sorry or are you questioning the situation?"_

_Oh boy. Sasuke rolls his eyes this time at that sarcastic remark. "I really am sorry, alright? It was just a shocker hearing that is all. I didn't mean to hit that pretty head of yours."_

"_Ha, ha, ha." After rubbing his head a few times and seeing if he's bleeding or not, Itachi mutters, "Imagine what it must have been like actually listening to it from his own lips." He looks at his palm one more time and there is still no blood. His head is still throbbing but it won't last long. He'll be alright._

_Besides that, Sasuke asks, "Well what did you tell him?"_

_Being reminded of that, Itachi sighs again and answers, "I couldn't say anything. His cursed phone rang and he told me to get out."_

"_You could have hung it up for him."_

_Itachi looks at his baby brother and tells him, "That's disrespectful."_

_Sasuke tells him, "You don't have to be a goody-goody all the time. You can take control. I've seen you do it."_

"_But that was with other students. Strangers. This is our father we're talking about here. The great head of the Uchiha clan," he says that with sarcasm before going back to common facts. "He's far too powerful to handle alone."_

_And this is what really separates them. They both don't like their father for how he treats them and they both want nothing more than to just get the hell out of that mansion. But one of them is more riskier than the other. Since Fugaku is too distracted with the older one, he sometimes doesn't give a flying rat's ass what the rebellious one does unless it's getting arrested or getting suspended for fighting._

_But what Itachi didn't notice at first, there is a slight bit of sadness in Sasuke's onyx eyes. It disappeared as soon as it appeared and because they grew up together, the younger Uchiha has learned to actually keep things from his older brother. Revealing emotions and then making them disappear is one of them._

"_You know," Sasuke starts leaning a little closer to his older brother. Itachi looks at him as Sasuke finishes, "you could just tell them that you're gay and you can move in with Madara and Izuna."_

_Well that was something Itachi sure didn't expect to hear. "Gay? What makes you believe I'm gay?"_

_Sasuke leans away and crosses his arms in front of his chest and his legs. "I never see you interested in a girl before, aniki. So what other sex is there?"_

"_Nor have you seen me with a guy," he reminds. "You can't just assume that I'm gay just because I'm not interested in dating."_

"_So you're telling me that you're asexual? I learn something new every day."_

_How is it that talking to this boy doesn't make the headache go away? He only makes it worst? Itachi lets out one more sigh and slightly grins at this. Still, can't help but feel a little better than he did before. "Otouto, you're not making this any easier."_

"_Well just answer 'yes' or 'no' with me. Are you gay or not?"_

_Itachi looks back at his little brother and he sees an adorable, determined-to-know look on his face. From a grin to a smirk, Itachi teases, "Wouldn't you like to know."_

_The younger Uchiha pouts at that. "Who's not making this any easier?" But yet again, he might as well give up since trying to get an answer out of Itachi requires an expert on interrogation and for the moment, Sasuke is not that person. So the teenage boy lets out a sigh and lies back down on the bed, this time his legs dangling off the edge instead of his head. "Well it doesn't matter anyway since if you still just tell them you're gay, they'll kick you out of here and you'll be free from the traditional Uchiha clutches. You just got to warn Madara first so you can move in with them as soon as your ass is kicked out of here."_

_Not hearing any more after that causes the older Uchiha to raise a slender brow. "And you're just going to stay here and become father's new favorite? You'll be just as suffocated as I am right now."_

"_The only reason why I'm here, aniki, is because you're here." Unexpected thing said by Uchiha Sasuke number two. Itachi widens his eyes a little from the young boy's confession and his little brother doesn't look embarrassed in the least. With his big onyx eyes glued to his brother, Sasuke sits back up and he says, "We both know that I'm not Mr. Perfect like some people are and neither are you. You're just a puppet for that man to manipulate. You do have some will of your own to do what you want but that is very rarely. Me, I don't take crap from anyone! Not even from the old geezer who thinks fear and titles are the only ways to get what he wants. Those kinds of people make me sick to my stomach." To prove his point, Sasuke looks away and sticks his tongue out as if he just ate something terrible. Itachi would have chuckled at that if he still wasn't stunned by Sasuke's earlier words. After the disgust face, the teenager goes back to seriousness and he swears, "Rather you decide to go or not, it's your decision but I will tell you this, you stay then I stay. You leave and I'm going to admit that I'm gay and I'm moving in with Madara and Izuna."_

_And just like that, he's open the window for Itachi to enter._

"_Are you gay?" he asks, raising a brow again._

_Sasuke stubbornly tells him, "You didn't answer me. Why should I answer you?"_

"_Because I'm your older brother and when I ask you something, you answer it."_

"_And as your younger brother, I deserve fairness."_

"_Who said?"_

"_Me, since I'm the younger brother and I refuse to answer until __**I**__ get an answer."_

_And also just like that, Itachi's headache is gone for the moment. He can think about going or not later but for now, he's just glad that Sasuke put him in a more lighter mood. He smirks again and asks, "Well aren't we difficult today?"_

_Sasuke smirks as well before light-heartedly declaring, "Difficult and loving it."_

_

* * *

_

Flash back of the past three…

_Itachi was pissed. There was no denying that. The Uchiha heir had already stayed at the ANBU University for about five months and now he has already, not only taken himself out of it, he's on the road back home, completely going over the speed limit and driving like a mad man. It's a shocker that no one has pulled him over yet or is chasing him with at five or more police cars. Even if he was being chased or asked to pull over, he wouldn't slow down. He needs to get home, NOW and he won't let anyone stand in his way._

_After three months of attending the university, Itachi finally decided to call home. After deciding to do as his father told him to do and after how he let things stay between him and his little brother, he hasn't called Sasuke in fear of being hated by him. So he decided to wait until the boy calmed down; which is usually six months. But only after three, he couldn't take it anymore and the first number he called was Madara's._

"_Sasuke? I haven't seen the kid in a while," Madara told his oldest nephew when he asked for the boy._

_That confused the Uchiha heir greatly. "You sure? He didn't tell our parents he was gay and was kicked out?"_

_And that surprised Madara. "He's gay? Should have figured that. The kid was never interested in the girls who flocked over him."_

_At the time, there was no time for useless babble. Itachi asked his uncle of what he heard about Sasuke and the older man only said that he heard that Sasuke has been going to school for a while and then skipping for even longer periods of time. That was strange behavior for him and Itachi knows that when the boy has his mind set on something, he does it. He doesn't back down or let anyone try to change his mind. This confused and worried the other older Uchiha brother and so, Itachi decides to call home. He remembers that after Sasuke got into a fight for the sixth time in two weeks, their father took his cell phone and literally smashed it into a thousand pieces – not that Sasuke minded anyway. He said it became less of a bother after he lost it. The first person to answer the house phone was his mother, Mikoto._

"_Hello?"_

"_Mother."_

"_Oh, Itachi! How nice to hear from you. How's school?"_

_His mother sounded unnerving cheerful for Itachi's taste that time._

"_It's fine. Is Sasuke there? I would like to speak with him."_

_And there was a pause. A mysterious and really unsettling pause._

"_He's still upset about you leaving, honey."_

"_I don't care. I just need to speak with him."_

"_I'm afraid that's impossible at the moment."_

"_Why? Is he in jail?"_

"_No. He's out." And then she just hung up on him._

_Usually when Itachi makes a comment like that, she would usually say, 'Oh heavens no, Itachi! Who on earth would give you that idea?' But that time, it was just a simple 'no' and that really made him uncomforting._

_So he called again the next day._

_For two months, he's been calling the house daily and it was his mother who answered every time. She made excuses saying that Sasuke was either taking a nap, he was out with friends, he got into a fight and is resting his wounds –that made Itachi even more worried–, or he was doing homework._

"_Since when does Sasuke complete his homework at home? Mother, what's going on?"_

"_You have to understand, sweetheart, that it's been five months since you left home. Things change and it might be changing for the better." She sounded really meek, almost pleading him not to let her go on._

_So he accused, "You don't believe that." Another pause was created between them and for one second, it sounded like she was going to cry._

"_I'm sorry but Sasuke is busy. You can't talk to him." And she hung up on him yet again._

_And so he decided to think. Why was his mother making excuses about why Sasuke couldn't answer the phone? Where was his brother? He didn't hear anything about him running away or getting murdered and Madara's report on how Sasuke has been going to school and disappearing made him extremely uneasy. Too bad Itachi is at a disadvantage with how to get more information since the only two people he can really trust in his family are his uncles and since they are no longer on the inside, they can't give him any more information than what he can get outside of the family. It was really making him anxious. So much so that after a week of silence, he decided to get reliable information outside of family; Sasuke's friends, and he knew exactly who to call._

"_Yo, Kyuubi speaking. The hell do you want?"_

_Uzumaki Kyuubi must have answered his phone without looking at the caller ID again from an answer like that._

"_I want answers."_

"_Uchiha Itachi? Well aren't you a melody for sore ears. What's up?"_

"_Forgive me, Kyuubi, but I do not have time to dilly dally. Is Naruto-kun there?"_

"_Ah yeah, he's right here. Something up?"_

"_I just need to ask him something really important. May I speak with him?"_

_Kyuubi passed the phone without another word and Naruto hysterically answered, "Itachi?" His reaction confused the Uchiha heir greatly._

"_Naruto-kun, what's wrong?"_

"_Sasuke is what's wrong! Something is seriously wrong with him!"_

"_What is it? Is he being more destructive than usual?"_

"_Destructive? The exact opposite! He's __**listening**__ to Fugaku!"_

_That was something to be screaming about._

"_Repeat that."_

"_Sasuke is li-st-en-ing to his father, Itachi! Ever since you left, I thought he was just acting weird because of that but then it was getting worst! He hasn't been in any fights, he has a curfew, he's been going straight to school from home and straight home after that, – I literally haven't seen him for months – and when he does comes back after disappearing for who knows how long, he's acting like he's suddenly scared of everything! Something is seriously wrong here and he won't talk to me and nothing I say or do makes him tell me! Right now, the last time I saw him in class was sometime last week!"_

_So Itachi's mother wasn't just making excuses. She's been __lying__ to him and something was going on in the Uchiha mansion where Madara can't help interfere or tell him the truth of what's going on. He became more determined than ever to get the truth out of his mother and he doesn't care if he has to call all night or even call the police to report kidnapping._

_After reassuring Naruto that he's going to get to the bottom of this and promised to Kami that he was going to find out what was going on in that house, he called the Uchiha mansion the second he got off the phone. But when his call was answered, it wasn't his mother._

_Itachi immediately answered as soon as the phone was picked up, "Mother, I want you to tell me exactly what's going on and I'm not getting off until you tell me."_

_He heard a gasp. "N…N-Nii…san?"_

_That wasn't his mother. That was Sasuke…and he called him by his childhood honorific._

"_Sasuke? Are you alright? What's going on there? Why are you acting so weird?" Before he could ask any more questions, he heard the boy shivering and whimpering on the other end._

"…_nii-san…h..h…"_

_Trying to be calm and wondering why the boy sounds so scared, Itachi asked him as calmly and rationally as he could, "Sasuke, what's going on? You can tell me." He had to talk to him as if he was speaking to a child version of his little brother and in a way, it does sound like that._

_Then he screamed. "NII-SAN, HELP ME!"_

_And the phone hung up._

_

* * *

_

Flashback of the past four

_After turning a ten hour drive to a seven hour drive, Itachi arrived at the Uchiha mansion and if anyone saw him, they would have thought that the apocalypse was coming and the first victims were the Uchiha family. Itachi literally barged into his own home and despite the gasps from the house servants and the pleads of his mother not to come in, he continued his way to the only place he knows exactly where to go; his father's office. He slammed the door open but his father wasn't there. That became a shock to him since Fugaku is always in his office. He can be nowhere else._

"_I told you that your father isn't here and neither is your brother," his mother tried to tell him but there was something different about the office._

_In his office, Fugaku has two bookshelves standing right next to each other, usually, but when Itachi looked around, they were separated. So he went to the new space and when he knocked on it, it was hallow. His mother was telling him to stop but he didn't. He found the opening latch, which was a small dent in the new open space and he slammed that door open too as if it were a Japanese Shoji door. It created a loud __**bam**__ sound but Fugaku, inside a semi dark room with only a small lamp to give him light as he was reading the newspaper, didn't flinch._

"_Where is he?" the Uchiha heir bellowed as soon as he saw his father._

_But Fugaku sternly told him instead of answering, "Keep your voice down. I'm trying to work."_

_That wasn't going to work. Itachi literally walked up to him and not only knocked the paper out of his father's hands, he also hit the lamp off the desk Fugaku was sitting at._

"_I said, where is he?"_

_Acting all smug and calm, Fugaku answered, "I have no idea what you are talking about and why are you here? You should be somewhere else."_

"_You mean that college you sent me off to. Forget it, I'm never going back."_

_Now this affected Fugaku finally. He instantly stood up so he can be face to face with his eldest son and he yells, "What are you saying? You will do no such thing! You are to return immediately!"_

"_Not without my little brother! You both have been lying to me. Every time I ask if I could speak with him, you make the excuse that he's busy or he's somewhere off with his friends. Naruto told me he hasn't seen Sasuke in dayss and lately, he's been acting strange."_

"_All we're doing is discipline him. That boy is nothing but a disgrace and needs to be taught a lesson."_

_Discipline? Disgrace? Every word that came out of his mouth and every second he wastes not answering Itachi's question made the heir all the more want to brutally murder him. When Itachi is seriously angry, he becomes a cruel and merciless demon lord and right now, he is very, very close to it. If his father doesn't answer him right now or if he says one more word appalling about his little brother, he is going to snap._

"_I'm not going to ask you again. Where is he?"_

"_NII-IIIII-SAAAAAAAN!"_

_And he heard it. Itachi, Fugaku, and Mikoto are both very surprised to hear that. It wasn't very loud. It was faint and it was Sasuke's._

"_Sasuke?"_

_Itachi turns to where he assumed he heard him and there is another door in that room, thanks to the light on the floor to reveal it. It looked like a door that belongs to a safe in a bank. It was a steel door and it had a huge knob on it that looked like the wheel of a pirate's ship. It was also only then that he realized that he can hear very, very faint banging sounds from the other side._

"_Nii-san! Nii-san!"_

_No doubt about it. Sasuke is in there and he's calling for Itachi. So out of reaction, he rushes to the door and quickly turns the knob to get the door open._

"_Itachi, stop!" his father yells, but Itachi isn't listening to him. He's listening to the cries of his little brother on the other side._

"_Nii-san! Nii-san! I'm in here! Come find me! NII-SAN!"_

_Before Fugaku could even move towards his son, Itachi got the door open and the first thing that came out of that room was Sasuke. He ran to him and cling to him as if life depended on it. It surprised the older Uchiha brother greatly and all he could do was just stand there as Sasuke has his arms around him, shivering, and crying._

…_flashback interrupted._

* * *

"Itachi?"

_Knock, knock_

The young Uchiha slightly twitched from the knocking. He lifted himself up from the bed to look up at the door and he can hear Deidara calling him.

"Are you asleep, un?"

At least he got him out of thinking more of what happened. The least Itachi could do is answer the worried blonde. All day, the guy has been acting like his nurse or a caring mother or something. His concern should be appreciated.

"I'm awake, Deidara. You may enter."

Given permission, Deidara slightly opens the door and peaks his head through to see Itachi sitting up in his bed. He enters fully and he asks, "How ya feeling, un?"

The black hair Uchiha nods. "Alright, for the moment." He looks down at the sheets of his head and he holds his forehead in his palm. "My head…just doesn't wish to rest."

"Because this place has too many memories, un?"

Itachi looks back at the long hair blonde and Deidara looks at him with sympathetic, understanding eyes – or he thinks he understands. "This place, no matter how much of it has changed because of Madara's remodeling, used to be a place of such great fun, un. Now without the other half of our group, this place is just…empty, un. I imagine it's harder on you than it is on everyone else, un."

The Uchiha heir understands what Deidara is trying to tell him. Too bad that Itachi is going through something a little different. It might be because he is here that he's seeing these hallucinations but they are just a little too extreme and painful for him to think of on his own. But for now, he'll go along with his blonde friend's words.

He looks away and says, "No. My emotional state is just weaker than everyone else's. I can't move on like the rest of you. Nor can I smile and try to live a carefree, happy life like all of you. I'm weak and I'm pathetic."

"You're not the only one, un."

Itachi didn't reveal any reactions to that. Except looking up at the long hair blonde from the corner of his eyes. Deidara actually looks a little ashamed but willing to speak. "I'm actually really miserable, Itachi, and I'm sure everyone else is too, un. All of them were practically our lives. It's not something we can easily forget, nor find new ways to go on living without them, un. I understand that since you and Madara were inseparable to your younger siblings since the day they were born, to suddenly lose them is something I can't possibly imagine, un. Sasori and I…we're not the same as you and Sasuke. We were lovers for a while and friends longer than that. But I believe that trying to go on without them, my experience is the same as yours, un." Then he chuckles like he just remembered a hilarious new joke his Uchiha friend should hear. "I'm actually terrified of a saw now, un. Every time I hear one, I imagine Sasori's body being dismembered over and over in my mind. I can't even go to a stupid art workshop since the sculpting room is right next to the carpenter room, un. Actually, just seeing wood and I see his face. No matter how many times I try to repeat Izuna's words in my head, I can't bring myself to sculpt anymore, un." He whispers, "It hurts too much, un."

Yes, it does. To love someone so much and then to just lose that person. Its taker, Death, and he is not so willing to give back what he takes. He took Sasuke, he took Sasori, and he took so many others. So many people that were once more precious than life to someone. Most of them even left after very difficult times and they left in traumatizing moments – barely alive at your feet, falling to their death after a confession, cut into pieces after a proposal, calling for you over and over when you couldn't hear him, eaten by sharks right in front you, buried alive in a terrible storm while he was looking for you, and tearing their own eyes out after being lied to by you yourself. To go on living after that would be near to impossible. Events such as these leave scars that take a long time to ease the pain and an even longer time to heal completely. A year is not enough for any of them.

Before another word on the subject was spoken between the two long hair males, they both hear Madara yelling, "Children! Dinner is ready!"

His yell ends the conversation.

Itachi moves to the edge of the bed and stands up. Deidara was looking down the hallway when he heard Madara call out to them so it became a surprise when Itachi appears by his side after just sitting on the bed moments ago. The long, straight hair Uchiha places his cold, firm hand on the blonde's shoulder and he mumbles, "You do know what it's like to be alone. But not what it's like to live in guilt." Then his hand slides off and he walks pass his now surprised friend.

Moments later after being told that, Deidara turns to him and raises his voice loud enough for the Uchiha to hear, "I do know what it's like! I live in it every day, un." Now he's upset and who would be? Sasori proposed to him before he died and Deidara said no. Then in fit of jealousy and hurt, the beloved red-head went to his workshop and trashed the place, causing his death. Maybe if the long hair blonde had said 'yes' or kept Sasori with him, maybe he wouldn't be dead. He would still be alive. He lives in that guilt every day since then.

The blonde's angry words did stop Itachi from walking any further. But instead of the reaction Deidara expected to get from him, the long hair blonde instead gets the young graduate Uchiha to turn around to look at him over his shoulder and says, "My guilt is different from yours, and it's worst."

* * *

The light flickers and then it stops. The lights are still on but the flicker catches everyone's attention at the dinner table.

After what Itachi told Deidara about his own guilt, both of them went down; along with a groggy Juugo who apparently just woken up from his nap. The long hair blonde was left to ponder what his friend just told him and Itachi looks impassive as always. How can someone just say that and not show a single emotion later on? Maybe he's still hiding away his true emotions from everyone around him but saying something like that should not be taken lightly.

Afterwards, dinner was served. Apparently it was a heated frozen dinner. Some really didn't care what it was, so long as it was food, and others were quite upset about it. Others meaning Fugaku.

"Maybe if you had let my sister help me, it wouldn't be just frozen dinners, brother-in-law," Madara had told him after his sister's husband was complaining about not being fed properly. Naruto was going to say something to that but Deidara popped in a bit of his frozen dinner to shut him up.

The rest of the time was spent in silence. Since they all had to eat at a table, Madara decided to sit next to Mikoto, Fugaku sat on the other side of her, Itachi sat next to his father, Kisame sat next to him, then Juugo, Naruto, and finally Deidara who finished the circle by sitting next to Madara. It was another surprise that the long hair blonde didn't sit next to Itachi but he needed time to think about what the now youngest Uchiha guy here had just told him and sitting away from him to think about it might help. Plus, it gave the biggest man here a chance to be by his best friend for dinner. But the dinner wasn't very exciting. Eating, chewing, glaring, worried glances, and bored expressions. No talking. Then the lights began to flicker when everyone was pretty much done.

"Well that's strange," Madara notes, looking at the lights as if expecting to find the cause of the power outage.

Juugo asks, "Is there something wrong with the generator?"

Then Fugaku asks, "What kind of cheap, useless mechanic did you hire, Madara?" Actually it was Madara himself who did it. Still by his brother-in-law's question, the much older Uchiha rolls his eyes, or it looks like he did.

"Fugaku, please," Mikoto pleads, really not wanting something to be caused now of all times.

Then the lights flicker again and this time after it flickered, they went out completely.

"I think you need to get your money back," Kisame comments. Then in the darkness, Itachi hits him hard in the side. "Ouch!"

Madara lets out a sigh and gets up. He says, "Just hold on a moment and let me find a flashlight. I know I have one in one of the kitchen drawers. No one start screaming on me, alright?" If the lights were still on, some people would have seen Fugaku roll his eyes. Instead they just hear him letting out a deep sigh of irritation and he lets out a 'che' sound. No one paid mind to that as Madara takes small and hesitant steps in the dark. Hopefully, he has his sunglasses off now.

It's pitch black in the summer house now. Nothing but total darkness. Since they are in the middle of the woods, there are no streetlights or passing by cars to give them light. It's just the darkness of the night and nothing but the stars and the moon to grant them some small bit of light. From the sudden darkness, hardly anyone can see the hand right in front of them. In a way it shook Itachi a little. He still remembers what it was like being in total darkness and total solitude. That is definitely not something you can shake off so easily. Silently, he grips the table in his own desperate attempt to calm himself and to cease from shaking. He doesn't want people to ask him what's wrong, especially in front of his father and when he doesn't even know why himself. All he knows is he saw a hallucination within a hallucination and in that second hallucination, he was his little brother in a dark, dark room that his father locked him in and he was screaming for himself to save him. That would be the perfect thing to say. Maybe they can send him to an asylum once they get the power back on.

When Madara actually found the flashlight and turned it on, Itachi jumped. "Found it!" his uncle declares. Everyone at the table turns to him, Itachi being more anxious than the others, and the guy still has his sunglasses on.

Naruto says, "Ah, Madara, it's pitch black. You can take the sunglasses off."

He shakes his head in a 'no'. "Sorry, Naruto, but for my pride, I will not reveal my eyes. They are too sickly for you guys to see."

Fugaku mumbles, "You mean the last bit of pride you have left, you pansy." For those that heard him, everyone, most of them turned to look at him and give him a very threatening and unwanted glare. Mikoto got nervous under the intensity of their glares, Fugaku appears unaffected, and Itachi is still trying to calm himself down. Kisame noticed.

"Itachi, something up?" he asks in concern. "You've been really jumpy today. Not getting sick are you?" He even presses the back of his hand against the Uchiha heir's forehead to check, but Itachi regains his composure and moves the hand away.

"I am perfectly fine, Kisame. Thank you for your concern," he says politely.

_Clitter-clack_

Dumping on the table, Madara presents candles and matches – a lot of candles. "Unfortunately, there is only one flashlight. So I'm going to go down and check what the problem is while you guys light these candles and spread them out. It's probably just a power outage. Easy to fix."

Then Fugaku questions, "Why should you have the liberty of taking the only flashlight in the house and leaving us to deal with _candles_?" He said the last word as if it were an insult.

Madara quickly answers, "Are you a electrician, Fugaku? Because if you are, you can take the flashlight and fix it yourself. A flashlight has a better chance of helping me fix the power engine than a candle would. Now if you're done complaining, I would like to fix the engine and get the power back on so you wouldn't have to stub your toe against the wall. Excuse me." If they could, the children of the group would applause him. But for now, they must remain silent and gaze upon him with adoring eyes, if they wish.

Before the man left, Juugo asks him, "Do you need help down there, Madara-san?"

Looking at him from his question, Madara 'smiles' at him and answers, "As I said, it's probably just a minor problem. I'll fix it in no time and come right back. If it's a bigger one, however, I need you guys to light those candles and spread them out. Don't want the royal highness to crash into walls." Of course, he was indicating Fugaku and that was why Naruto and Kisame nearly burst out laughing. The Uchiha head looked ready to blow but before he could even say anything to his wife's brother, Madara was already gone like a light. Kisame and Naruto were still giggling and before more drama could be created, especially since Fugaku is already glaring at them to shut up, Itachi and Deidara hit them to shut them up.

"Ow!" Naruto cried. "What was that for?"

Deidara mumbles, "For being a moron, un!" Juugo shakes his head in disappointment from this and Kabuto took out his cell phone.

"There's no reception here anymore!" he declares, when now is not the time for that! Since Kisame is aching in pain since Itachi put in a little bit more force into that hit and Mikoto is trying to calm her now enraged husband, the Uchiha heir has a chance to leave. He silently gets up from the table and escapes before anyone notices. He goes off after his uncle.

"Madara," he calls, catching him before he entered through the door to the basement. Hearing him, his uncle looks up and supposedly raises a brow at the sight of his nephew.

"What are you doing here? Go and help your mother and your friends light the candles," he tells him.

But Itachi says, "They're too distracted for that right now. Furthermore, there is something I need to ask you."

Now this is interesting. Madara turns to face him fully and he asks, "What is it, Itachi? Something on your mind?"

"Senju Hashirama."

Itachi observes his uncle after he said that name and he saw him stiffen at it. There's something there. "Who exactly is he to you?"

_Drip_

Itachi heard that and he was going to look over his shoulder to where the sound was coming from but Madara quickly got his attention. "Why do you ask? Do you know something about him?"

_Drip_

There it was again. Does Madara not hear it, Itachi wonders seeing that his uncle appears that he can't. Maybe it's nothing so Itachi should ignore it and continue his 'investigation'. Good thing he remembers one little fact. "You said before he was a co-worker of yours and a friend. Being here reminded me of how you used to talk business with me since I understood it despite my age. You talked about him a lot, only so long as Izuna wasn't in the room. When he was, you wouldn't utter a word about him. Now you don't talk about him at all, even before we came here. You haven't said a word about him since Izuna's funeral."

_Drip, drip_

Can Madara really not here that dripping sound?

The older Uchiha lets out a sigh and admits, "I'll tell you and you can tell the others if you wish since I have nothing to hide anymore. Senju was more than a co-worker friend of mine. He was my lover."

_Drip, drip, drip_

"It just sort of happened, even though I should have stopped it before it began. He was already married with kids and a grandchild on the way when we decided to have an on the sidelines romantic affair."

_Drip, drip, drip, drip_

"I was just lonely, I guess. I told my parents I was gay and they kicked me out. I don't regret it but how can I say that I prefer men and have nothing to prove it? Senju was just my way of proving to those around me of who I really am."

_Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip_

"But he wasn't the reason why I confessed."

_Drip, drip, drip_

And the dripping began to slow down. What on earth? But what he just said was very interesting though. Itachi asks, "Who then?"

"Izuna."

_Drip, drip_

The Uchiha heir's eyes widen when he heard that. Wider than even when he was scared out of his mind from the hallucinations. As he stares at his uncle, Madara must be smiling sadly because his voice sounded really tragic and yet happy when he spoke again. "Izuna understood me like no one else. Just like you and Sasuke. He's the most adorable little brother on the face of the earth, to me that is, and he had the most beautiful Uchiha eyes that could see the very depths of your soul and discover who you really are. The good parts that is. He was there for me when I needed him. When I found out I was in love with him, I guess you can say that I felt released. To know why I would sometimes act strangely around him and how he could cause these bizarre reactions. But I confessed to my parents to get away from him. I feared rejection and to save myself from the pain and to save him from me, I intentionally kicked myself out. But he followed me. You have no idea how trouble-some it was to keep your hands to yourself once you discover your true feelings for that person. That was why I started seeing Senju. Then around the time Izuna died, I was getting overstressed and a bit emotional, I supposed. Sasuke died and so many other wonderful children left as well. If you ask me, I thought the whole thing was some kind cruel prank pulled from the Uchiha ancestors for defying their laws. So in my desperate attempt to not lose Izuna or be separated from him, I confessed to him my feelings, rather he would accept or reject me. I had to take the chance since I couldn't take it any longer. He didn't reject me but he didn't fully accept me either. He needed time and thinking I had nothing else to lose and that I was thankful he didn't hate me for confessing, I decided to break it off with Senju. He had one last request though. A parting kiss and I granted it to him. Next thing I knew, Izuna's dead in the bathroom and he wrote one word on the mirror."

Before Madara could say what it was, Itachi got another vision. He didn't expect to see it, nor did he want to believe that he saw it but he did. He only saw it for a second but one second was all he needed. He saw his uncles' bathroom again and Izuna is on the ground in a pool of his own blood, probably dead. But it wasn't his dying corpse that captured the young Uchiha's attention. It was the word written in blood on the mirror. He only saw it for a moment but he saw the word and there isn't a doubt in his mind that Izuna was the one who wrote it in his own blood after yanking his eyes out and leaving it on the sink to dry.

"'Liar'?"

Madara sure didn't expect to hear that and Itachi sure as heck didn't mean to say it aloud. It's just that he doesn't like to be told something he already knows. Makes him feel like an idiot and an idiot is definitely something Uchiha Itachi isn't. His friends yes, him no. There became silence between them for a moment and the option that maybe saying it himself unexpectedly was the best thing to do.

Soon the tension ceases when Madara relaxes and chuckles lightly. "Of course you would know the answer to that. You were the first person to come over as soon as you heard Izuna committed suicide." Well that's a relief. No supernatural suspicion, for him. If physics were real, Itachi would probably question one right now because there is no way he should be seeing visions of the past! Well maybe before a physic, he should see a psychological therapist.

But Madara is wrong. When Itachi came over, the police were already there and he wasn't told anything. He just came, saw Madara looking really distress in front of his apartment while being asked thousands of useless and heartless questions, and then he came over to 'comfort' his uncle. He didn't know how to comfort him though because like his uncle who died with his little brother, Itachi was already dead inside as well and has been since Sasuke passed away. He could only understand the pain. Not heal or ease it.

Madara restarts again, saying, "When I saw that word, I suspected that Izuna found out about Senju and me and thought I was playing with him. I wasn't given the chance to explain myself and I lost him. I guess his suicide was as much of a 'he felt the same way about me' answer as I was going to get. My real shame is that I wasn't given the opportunity to give him the happiness I was willing to give or try to create. I only gave him misery. More than anything, I am more than willing to give up anything for that opportunity. Wouldn't you?"

He's attacking Itachi's feeling again, just like how he was at the café. Madara should know more than anyone that Itachi would also be more than willing to give Sasuke the happiness he deserved, especially from what he's been through before and after Itachi left for college. He would do anything for that opportunity. Anything at all.

"Yes, I would," was all he could answer to that question. Not being able to see it, Madara smiles behind his mask and it was more than just an approving, understanding smile. It was devious and it appears to hide more than it was willing to say.

With a voice that even hides that scheming intention, Madara asks as cheerful as he can, "Is there anything else you wish to ask me, Itachi?"

The young Uchiha just wanted to be certain that what he was seeing was true. From that vision, rather it was really a vision or just some kind of an accurate hallucination, Izuna did feel the same towards Madara as his older brother felt for him and seeing him kissing another man, it must have been heartbreaking. A betrayal of the heart that can only be caused by the man who once held it. Itachi only wanted to be certain of his uncle's innocence, and if he felt just as guilty as he felt leaving Sasuke behind the first and second time.

The Uchiha heir shakes his head. "No."

No more dripping sounds were heard.

* * *

"Where the hell is he, un?" Deidara exclaims, finally getting tired of waiting.

Once Itachi had returned to the others and allowed his uncle the chance to go down to the basement to look at the power outage problem, most of the candles had already been lit and were being passed out. Itachi finished lighting the rest with his mother, who once against surprisingly convinced Fugaku to let her do that, as the others scattered them. Well all but Fugaku. He claimed that he wanted to make sure that Mikoto didn't burn her finger on a common job. But that had been nearly an hour ago. To pass the time, Kabuto was trying to look for another signal since the reception went out along with the power, Juugo was searching again to see if he can find any more candles to light and he got Naruto to help him, Kisame was trying to read in the dark, and everyone else was pretty much just sitting around in silence. Itachi and Mikoto didn't mind since they were the patient ones but Fugaku and Deidara are at their ropes. The long hair blonde became the first to finally scream out his problems.

Juugo, in the middle of his searching, tells him, "Be patient, Deidara-san. Maybe the problem is more severe than he thought."

Then Fugaku comments, "That useless brother-in-law couldn't even change a light bulb to save his life." More people looked and/or glared at him for that and Mikoto got a bit nervous from the sudden tension in the air.

"Dear, please," she pleads.

Then acting like they don't even exist, Deidara yells out, "Well the least he could do was yell out for help or tell us the problem! Not leave us in the fricken dark, un!"

Then Naruto comments, "Don't tell me that you're scared of the dark, Deidara. Is that why you're so frantic? "

Oh boy…Here we go.

Deidara has a vein pulsing on his head as he collectedly says, "I'm surprised that you're not as impatient as I am, Naruto. You're the one who usually has a short fuse."

"Maybe if you actually do something instead of sitting on your ass all night, you wouldn't be having this problem."

"So glad that Juugo had to _ask_ you to help him or you wouldn't be so occupied right now, un. Aren't you worried at all on what's going on in that basement, un?"

"Why don't you go check since you're so impatient and you have nothing else better to do than eyeing at Itachi all night!"

Before Deidara could talk back to him, Itachi walks right pass him.

"Uh? Itachi, where are you going, un?" the long hair blonde asks.

Itachi stops momentarily to answer, "To check on my uncle. It's quieter down there." Before he could go again, Fugaku spokes.

"Leave him, Itachi. Let him take as long as he desires. That lazy faggot of a brother-in-law wants to leave us in the dark, then let him."

And every pair of eyes that turns to look at him are glares, because he wasn't just insulting Madara. He was insulting just about every other person in that room. However, it wasn't just the 'children' glaring at him, it was Mikoto too. She was first shocked by what her husband just said and her shock slowly turned into anger. All of a sudden, to everyone's greatest surprise, the only Uchiha female member in the house stands up and marches over to her son.

Fugaku yells, "Mikoto, get back here this instant!"

Now for those who are so shocked by Mikoto's stand up didn't notice how she twitched when Fugaku yelled at her. Itachi noticed, however, and she didn't stop walking until she was by her son's side. She grabs his arm and says to him, "I'll accompany you." Then she begins walking, or pulling her eldest son with her. He doesn't appear as shock as everyone else but the shock is there internally. He doesn't say anything as he gets pulled away.

Fugaku yells, "Get back here at once, Mikoto!"

Looking back between Fugaku and the two Uchihas who just left, Deidara only had to think for three seconds to think before getting up and following the mother and son. "I'm gonna check on him, too. He's sick, un." More like, he doesn't want to stay here with Fugaku.

And apparently no one does.

"True," Juugo agrees before giving up on his search for more candles and following the long hair blonde. Soon Naruto did as well, then Kisame, and finally Kabuto – who's still playing with his phone.

Since all of them were gone, Fugaku yells, "What is wrong with you people?" Then he follows them.

Let's all go down to the basement then.

For Itachi and Mikoto all the while being leaded to the basement like he doesn't know where it is, the Uchiha's heir's mother is grasping his arm as if trying to keep herself together as she can hear her husband yelling for her to stop and come back. As if she will. Itachi can tell that she's upset with what her husband called her brother, and everyone else. Who wouldn't be? Still, it's a surprise that she's actually _ignoring_ and _disobeying_ her husband's orders. It almost makes Itachi wonder what happened while they were gone since she wasn't like this when they got here. She wasn't ever like this from what Itachi could remember. But as mentioned, it _almost_ makes Itachi want to ask what happened between her and Madara. Maybe he could ask his uncle about that after they check on him. Maybe…

One thing is for sure, every time Fugaku bellows a word at her, she quivers. Itachi can feel that.

"Come on," she says, pulling him to the basement faster. Maybe he should tell her to let go because she might pull his arm out of his socket if she pulls any harder but they already reached the basement door and she stomped down the stairs as soon as she opened it.

"Madara onii-sama!" she calls, as if she wasn't just shivering at the furious screaming caused by the head of the Uchiha family. But as Itachi and Mikoto go down, along with the others once they caught up, all they see is darkness and all they hear is silence. No flashlights shining all over the place or the sound of someone working on the generator. When Mikoto received no answer, she continues on her journey down. "Madara onii-sama, are you alright? Is everything okay?"

As the others enter in shortly, they all notice the same thing. Juugo calls, "Madara-san? Are you in here?"

Kabuto asks, "Where else could he be?"

"Beeerrrr… It's freezing in here! I don't hear him and I can't see him." Thank you for stating the obvious, Kisame.

Then when Mikoto takes one more step down before she arrives at the bottom, she steps on something solid and with a round shape. When she steps on it, she slips. "Aah!" she lets out as she begins to fall backwards and whatever she stepped on goes flying out towards the wall. Since he's besides her, Itachi catches his mother before she hurts herself. The others look at her in surprise of hearing that while Fugaku gasps in shock and horror. Then he starts shoving people to get to her. Once Mikoto landed safely in her son's arms, she looks up and he helps her up. "Oh," she breathes, standing up straight. "Thank you, sweetheart."

Fugaku arrives by her side moments later and he asks her, "Are you alright?"

Now this is a stretch. Why is he asking her a question of concern? This however didn't gain Itachi's attention. He looks forward to see if he can find what made his mother tripped on. After being asked that question, Mikoto looks up at her husband for a moment before looking away. "I'm fine, Fugaku." The way she said that sounded almost cold and annoyed. Similar to Itachi's voice now but there are still traces of emotion in her voice.

Fugaku asked, "What has gotten into you? Why are you behaving like this?"

She looks at him then and now she looks angry. This is a very long and abnormal stretch. "How can you ask me what's wrong with me when you just insulted my brother and everyone here? You may yell at me, insult me, and order me around all you like but don't ever talk bad about my brother or these children!"

What…did she just say…?

The children are not the only ones who are shocked by her outburst. Fugaku is surprised as well. Then he calms down his surprise and concludes, "Mood swings. It is around that time."

Then a light catches the corner of their eyes. It was blinding in this total darkness so it hurt everyone's eyes for a moment but when it adjusted it, they look and see Itachi holding a flashlight. Looking at the flashlight, Naruto appears confused. "Isn't that the flashlight Madara took with him?"

No one answered him. They're too bewildered to answer. Itachi, on the other hand, just looks confused. It is the flashlight that Madara took with him and it's cold. Mikoto also tripped from this so why hasn't it been used and why was it on the stairs? Then when Itachi turned the flashlight to the side to illuminate the whole room, he reveals a very shocking sight. Since Itachi is the first to look, he drops the flashlight as soon as he saw it and backs up to the wall. The others didn't look yet. Or some started to as Deidara moves pass the Uchiha parents to get to his suddenly spooked friend.

"Hey, Itachi, what's wrong?" he asks once he was by his side.

Then Mikoto screams.

"Eeeeeeeyyyyyyyyaaaaaahhhhh!"

Deidara looks up then and he too sees the same thing. When he did, he gasps in shocking horror, jumps back till his back hit the wall, and his hands cover his mouth as his eyes become extra wide from the horrible scene before him. On the other side of the room where the flashlight is shining towards, there is a body lying on the ground in a pool of blood. By the clothes on the body and the body shape, everyone can only assume who it is. Mikoto screamed because a dead body is a dead body and from its appearance, body could very well be her brother. Her eyes wide with horror, her pupils small with shock, and her scream loud and pitchy the longer she lays her eyes on that body and the blood. Fugaku, being near her and awaken from the shocking sight before him by her scream, turns to her and watches as she begins to take steps back, her body shaking tremendously, and her hands raised in front of her mouth and face. Some turned to her and some still have their eyes glued to the body.

"Mikoto!" Fugaku calls to his wife before grabbing one of her wrists and pulling her towards him. She allows him to pull her to his chest and to hold her, hiding her face away from the body as tears begin to leak out of her eyes and roll down her face. "Calm down, calm down. Just don't look at it. Calm down." To those watching, they're shocked. Is Fugaku actually… being _kind_ and _sincere_ to her?

Those who were only watching in the beginning was really only Kabuto but after hearing that, Kisame, Naruto, and Juugo turned to them and they see husband comforting wife. It became a shock to see them like that. The only two who weren't watching were Itachi and Deidara. Their eyes are still on the corpse. The body's back is facing them so that's why they don't know who that person is, even though they might really know. They just don't want to believe it.

Then finally, Itachi moved. He moved towards the body and that got Deidara's attention.

"Itachi!" he calls, as if stopping him. The attention is turned to him as he takes calm, easy steps. He first walks towards the flashlight and picks it up. "Itachi, wait, un!"

"Leave him!"

Deidara turns to the only person who would ever say that to any of them. With a quivering Mikoto still in his arms, Fugaku sternly tells the long hair blonde like the head of the Uchiha family that he is, "Itachi has studied to become a detective and one studying in the criminal field must learn to get used to the sight of dead bodies, no matter who they maybe."

In a way, he has a point. Deidara would have argued with him about it but the he hears, "It's Madara," from Itachi. The long hair blonde turns to his friend nearest to the dead body and he sees him standing over it, not stepping on the blood, and the flashlight shining on the corpse's face. He then kneels besides the corpse for a closer examination and he spoke with his usual dead, dry voice. However, this one sounds worst than his normal one. "The exit wound at the top of the head." He goes to his pocket and takes out, surprisingly, a pen. He goes to his uncle's bandana on his face and lifts it up. When he did, he sees a hole under the chin. "And the entrance wound is under his chin. By the shape of the hole and the gun powder residue I can see on his skin, the cause of death is a gun with a 41 magnum bullet. A Taurus gun perhaps with a 4" barrel."

"Suicide, then," Fugaku assumes from the information he just heard. But assuming things like that wasn't good for his wife to hear, nor was it something the others could believe right away. If he didn't say anything, the others would have been surprised that with just one look, Itachi could tell what kind of weapon was used and what type of gun was used. Amazing, but he hasn't been going to school for nothing and of course, Fugaku just has to say something to everything.

"Suicide?" Naruto exclaims. "Why the hell would Madara want to commit suicide? He was happy just a moment ago!"

Itachi lifts up the flashlight to examine the scene a little more and not too far from the body is the murder weapon. A Taurus 41 magnum 5-shot with a 4" barrel; a hand gun with a powerful hit and is exactly the type of gun Itachi was talking about. The only problem with it, however, is the gun is far from the body. He reports, "It might not be suicide." That confuses the others, all but the shivering Mikoto who refuses to believe what he just saw and what she's hearing. Itachi stands up, puts his pen away, and walks over the body, still trying to avoid the blood pool. This time when he arrives at the gun, he takes out a handkerchief and examines the gun a little closely.

Kisame assumes this time, "It has to be murder then! If the gun is not in Madara's hands, he must have been killed." And of course, that didn't help Mikoto out in the least. She grips her husband's shirt and starts wailing in his chest.

"Waaaahhh! Madara onii-sama!" she cries, though if it weren't for Fugaku's chest it would have been a lot louder. Hearing that, Kabuto hits Kisame at the back of his head.

"Ow!"

"Moron."

Fugaku tries to comfort her again and he whispers to her this time, "Calm down, Mikoto. Calm down. I know it's hard but you need to relax. This much grief isn't necessary."

Necessary? Her brother might have been murdered and he says that grieving over him the way she is right now is not necessary? He got furious glares or disbelieving expressions when he said that. Itachi, however, is still examining the gun, although he did hear him.

Then he notices something. "The gun is cold."

He gains back all of their attentions and Mikoto quiets down as he examines the gun a little closely. "The gun hasn't been fired recently and with this sort of gun, we would have heard it." He looks back towards the body and the first thing he checks is Madara's hands. There's no gun in them and this is the only gun in the room. But when he looks back at the exit wound of Madara's head, there is something weird about it. He checks it again and the wound almost appears…old. The blood on it is already dry and is flaking off. If Madara had been dead for only an hour, the wound should not look like this. Sure it's cold down in the basement but that's not enough time for the wound to get like this. So he goes over the body again and using his pen again, once he put the gun down, he lifts the bandana off a little more and Madara's lips are blue and his skin is already as pale as death. Itachi also takes off the sunglasses and his eyes are wide and lifeless. By looking at the color of the pupil proves the impossible theory that's assimilating in the young Uchiha's mind. Madara has no warmth and he has no color. An hour is not long enough for this to happen to a body.

Seeing Itachi's slightly puzzled expression and how he keeps staring at his uncle's face, Deidara asks, "What is it, Itachi, un?"

Itachi heard him but he didn't answer right away. He ponders a little longer before finally answering, "Someone get me an internal thermometer. I believe there's one in the house." Hearing that, some people were confused on why he would want that. Others looked confused as to what the heck an internal thermometer is. That meaning Kisame and Naruto.

"A what?" Naruto asks. He's only a teenage boy and the closest thing he has ever done in cooking is heating up ramen. Iruka does the cooking most of the time. Kisame is just…he's just Kisame.

Being confused as to why Itachi would need the thermometer, Mikoto pulls away from Fugaku, tears still falling but she's calmed down a lot compared to how she was before.

Answering the spiky blonde's question, Itachi explains in simpler details, "A meat thermometer. It's used to check the temperature of the meat while cooking."

"But why?" Kisame asks, getting it. "The death is recent."

Who's the expert here? Why should they question Itachi's motives when he's the supposedly specialist in the crime solving. He took the bloody courses to become a detective after all and he just graduated! He looks up at the others and with a slightly irritated voice, he orders, "Just get it." From the way the light is still staring at the body, Itachi looks a little terrifying with the shadows on his face and the way his sharp, narrow satin eyes seem to glow in that small light. A dangerous, beautiful demon. It gave his friends a chill and really not wanting to be on his bad side, the long hair blonde walks a little closer to Mikoto.

"Yes, sir!" he answers. Deidara then grabs Mikoto's wrist and starts pulling her away from Fugaku and pulls her up the stairs pass the others. "Come with me since I have no idea where it is."

Fugaku yells, "Get back here with her!"

Another moron… You don't just grab a once sobbing and grieving woman from someone who was shockingly comforting her so you can find a meat thermometer. But it's true and if he wastes any more of Itachi's time trying to find it on his own, Madara might not be the only corpse tonight.

After frantically looking for the thermometer since his life basically depended on it, Deidara found the internal thermometer and brought it to Itachi. He also brought Mikoto back despite his better judgment to keep her away from the scene of her now dead brother but then the long hair blond would also have to worry about death threatening him from the ice king's father and he really doesn't want to deal with him of all people. Fugaku is not as scary as his long, straight hair Uchiha friend but he is the one who created him. Itachi took the sharp point of the meat thermometer and stabbed the body. Of course when Mikoto saw that, she hid her view of it and cringed when she heard the sound of the thermometer being stabbed deeper into the flesh. Being the good husband, Fugaku held her and petted her head as a form of comfort. 'Good husband' their asses… When the temperature was recorded, Itachi looks at it and narrows his eyes at the sight of it.

"This doesn't make any sense," he mumbles before looking back at the body as if trying to find some kind of hidden explanation to the results.

Juugo asks, "What do you mean?"

Seeing that he has to explain, again, Itachi reports, "According to the thermometer, Madara has been dead longer than an hour."

Now that does sound confusing. Madara has been dead longer than the time they saw all last saw him? How could that be possible? Majority of the others gasp from that while each and every one of them has wide eyes and shocked expressions.

"What?" Naruto exclaims again for the hundredth time today, and being the first to get over his surprised confusion a little. "But that's not possible. We just saw him walking around and breathing. You must have calculated wrong." As if.

"A body's normal temperature is between ninety-five to ninety-eight degrees Fahrenheit. Madara's temperature is forty-two degrees. Being as cold as it is in this basement, that is not enough time for his temperature to drop to such a degree. The most it could drop could be roughly mid or early eighties."

"B-But we just saw him, un! How could what you just said make any sense, un?"

"I can't make sense of it either, but Madara has been dead longer before we even arrive at this summer house."

_

* * *

_

Drip

_Sob, sob, sob_

_Drip, drip_

_Sob, sob_

_Drip, drip, drip_

_Sob_

"Oooonii-iiiii-ssssaaaaannnn…"

**

* * *

**

Now I would have ended this chapter earlier after Itachi talked to Deidara but no one really died and that completely went against anything that I've said about not ending a chapter without a death scene. Sasuke was only having mental problems caused by his father and Itachi and Deidara were talking about what the death of their loved one has done to them. Moving on…

**So the person who dies first is Uchiha Madara, but wonder what Itachi means by he's been dead even before they arrived at the summer house? Very suspicious… Sorry, I just sounded very lame at that moment. Anyway, thank you ****- 723(and your name is not showing up on Fanfic. Sorry but you know who you are!) for guessing the correct answer and you have the privilege of voting for one of my ideas. Please submit your vote as a review for the 'Which ItaSasu Story Is Next?' story. As for the others, thank you for trying but better luck next time and here are my next two questions.**

**Who will die next? Kabuto, Juugo, Naruto, or Kisame?**

**And how will he die? Drowned, hacked to pieces, fire, or stabbing?**

**Until next time, see ya!**


	9. We're Stuck Here

**A/N: Hi guys! Okay, okay, I know that I have to complete so many other things right now that I just need to make up my mind on what to work on but for those who'd been reading my Author's Note in previous chapters should know why I'm writing this story. Besides, it's been a while and I'm finally done with this cursed thing! No one dies yet. Just some supernatural stuff happening all over the place.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. Wish I did so I can see how Sasuke and Itachi are doing since I haven't seen them in who knows how many chapters! My question is still the same and to those who haven't entered their answer yet can still give it a whirl. But for those who did, sorry your answers are in and locked. Can't change it. Good luck to you guys and enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 7: We're Stuck Here

The line is dead. There is nothing but silence on the phone. Hearing that for the hundredth time, Itachi just hangs up the phone and lets out a soft sigh from the results.

"Still no connection, Itachi?"

The Uchiha heir looks over his shoulder to his mother when she asked that and he answers, "The line is still dead." Then he looks up to the side and he sees Kabuto swinging his phone everywhere for a signal. He doesn't have much luck either.

After discovering the tragic and weird death of Madara, who supposedly died before they arrived at the summer house but was just walking around not too long ago, it was time to call for the police. Itachi may have graduated and found out just enough information as any other police cop would have figured out in half the time, he doesn't have a badge yet and the gun they found needs to be taken in as evidence to find fingerprints that might either belong to Madara or someone else. Besides, it would be good for Mikoto not to be in the same room as her now deceased older brother. Now she has lost both of her brothers and she's grieving in the arms of her husband; which of course is shocking everyone because they never see Fugaku look that sincere or compassionate with her before. Heck! Deidara, Naruto, and Kisame are staring at them since the scene is a little bit too surreal to be considered only weird. While Itachi and Kabuto are trying to find a signal to call the police, or at least Itachi is, Juugo volunteered to drive back to town for some help. He left about twenty minutes ago and he probably won't be back for a while since the drive to the nearest town might be around two hours here and back.

That was why when they got light shining inside the living room that wasn't candle light, everyone was confused.

Seeing the headlights in the living room, Deidara asks, "Is Juugo back already, un?"

"That's…impossible right?" Naruto asks, extremely confused.

Being the first to move, Itachi walks over to the door and opens it to see that it is indeed Juugo turning the car off and then coming out. Some of the others came up behind Itachi by the time they heard the door slamming and those others were Kisame, Deidara, and Kabuto.

Kisame greets, "Welcome back."

And Kabuto yells, "Why the heck are you back already?" Doesn't he sound antsy?

When Juugo walked around his car to come walking up towards the summer home, he looked really stressed and a bit jumpy unlike his usual calm and relaxed composure. Itachi noticed that immediately.

"Something happened?" Itachi asks as soon as Juugo was close enough for him to hear his inside voice. The big orange head man looks at his friends for a moment before nodding. He looks really tense and anxious.

"May I sit down for a moment?" he asks. "I need to compose myself." They moved out of the way and he entered the house without so much as a greeting or a nod to those who are still sitting down the couches. He just sat down and hides his fingers in his orange hair before rubbing his face as he recalls the events that happened not too long ago.

"You okay?" Kisame asks. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

"Oh not that again," Kabuto exclaims, getting annoyed. "For the last time, there is no such thing as ghosts. They're not real."

"I'm not too sure about that."

The attention turns to Juugo on that one. All, but Itachi, look at Juugo with surprise that he said that and confusion as to why he said that. Itachi just slightly narrows his eyes at him.

"Care to elaborate?" he asks.

Juugo looks up him for a moment to say, "Please believe me when I say that I can hardly understand it myself but I saw it. There is no denying it."

_

* * *

_

What happened ten minutes ago…

_Juugo was already driving for ten minutes now since he left the house. He was driving down the dark, scary dirt road that scared the crap out of the taxi driver that dropped off Itachi at the entrance. If that man was here now, he would really be spooked by how the trail looks in the middle of the night. He probably died of fear after peeing his pants about ten times. Juugo usually enjoys the wild life but even he has to admit that this road is a little spooky to take by yourself. Maybe he should have taken a companion with him like one of the two blondes that he knows will be at each other's neck unless someone stops them from fighting._

_He was driving casually down the road looking in all directions in case for any animals decide to come popping out. His radio was on and it kept from going in and out, longer time going out than in, until finally it went out completely._

'_**There really is no reception here,'**__ he thought hearing the static of the radio. "Kabuto is not going to like that for certain." So to save him from hearing the staticy sound all the rest of the way to town, Juugo turns off the radio._

_Only hear a small __**rumbling**__ sound._

_The __**rumbling**__ was so soft that Juugo thought it was only the __**humming**__ of his car. But as he continues to drive on, that sound is starting to get louder and louder until finally he looks up to the side._

_Only to see a landslide coming down._

"_Whoa!" Juugo quickly steps on the break and steers the car to avoid the landslide. It was coming down like a flood of mud, rocks, and trees, but luckily it appeared to be going down in one spot. Too bad that the one spot wasn't too far away from Juugo's car. He was gripping the steering wheel as hard as he can and to keep it in place. The car was spinning and it made the loud __**screeeeeeeeeetching **__sound with his foot still planted on the breaks. The landslide came down on the road and was flooding down as Juugo's car had just about stopped in front of it. Or rather the back of the car stopped right in front of the landslide. Once the spinning stopped and the car came to an absolute stop, Juugo was left to sit in his car seat panting and still gripping on the steering wheel for dear life. Quickly, he looks over his shoulder and he sees that the landslide has officially and completely blocked the road. The current of it was beginning to slow down and Juugo was left to watch it before it became to complete stop._

'_**Oh no,'**__ he thought turning back to the face his body correctly. He runs his fingers through his hair and thinks, __**'This is not good.'**__ As far as he knows, this is the only way he knows out of the forest of the summer house and to the main road into the nearest town. Now he and everyone else is trapped with no reception or any way to communicate with the outside world. Maybe they could climb over the landslide tomorrow when the mud dries. It would be just like climbing over a small hill._

_Juugo looks up at his review mirror to look at the pile of mud blocking the road and from the sight of it, it's not that steep. It will be easy to climb over and it would be dry in the morning or at least a few days. Hopefully by then, the power will come back and if not, they still got plenty of food to keep them going and it's a supposedly camping trip in the summer. They could always make a fire to keep them warm and cook the food._

_As Juugo was thinking of all of the possibilities of what to do until they can get out of here, something else happens._

_All of a sudden, a pale white hand pops out of the mud. Juugo literally jumped out of his seat when he saw that. Soon the hand became an arm and then another one appears as the arms begin to lift themselves up. Soon there was a head and then the torso. The body lifts itself up and bends over as more of the body comes out of the surface. The body did look covered in mud but there were some parts of it that weren't. Those parts appeared to be so white that it literally glowed in the dark. Juugo quickly looked away from the mirror to look behind again to see if what he's seeing is really what he's seeing. But when he turned around, there's nothing there. No body emerging out the ground or anything. The mud didn't even looked disturbed._

_What in the world?_

"_What the…"_

_Okay, now is a good time to hightail out of here!_

_Juugo goes back to facing the correct direction and he puts his car in gear to return back to the summer house. He even locked the doors just in case. But as soon as he did, he hears a __**click, click, click**__ sound that almost resembles that of someone trying to open the locked car door. Dare he looks, Juugo turns to the window and he sees a muddy hand pressed against the glass. On impulse after the giant orange hair man jumps from the sudden surprise of a muddy hand pressed against his window, he steps on the gas and drives as fast as his car can go. He saw the hand slide off the car when he drive away and he looks up at the review mirror to see what was besides his car but he sees nothing still. He looked back at the muddy hand print and there's nothing there._

_

* * *

_

Now…

"You're not serious are you?" Kabuto asks as soon as Juugo was done with his story.

Deidara tells him, "Juugo is not one to lie, un. And even if he is, why would he un?" He has a point on that one. As far as they're all concerned, Juugo is the most trustworthy person of them all. Around the same level as Itachi but that depends on who you're asking.

"If I had proof, I will show you," Juugo tells them, still facing the ground. "But I have none so I don't blame you if you don't believe me. I'm not too sure if it really happened either but it doesn't change the fact that the road is blocked. We're stuck here."

"So were stuck here?" Kisame asks. "How the hell can there be a landslide when it hasn't rained on this god damn mountain? We have a body down in the basement and we have no idea how the hell he died!"

For his cluelessness, Deidara first stomps on hid foot and quickly tells him as the bigger man winces from his sore foot, "Watch what you say, moron, un! Also, there can be a landslide when it hasn't rained, Kisame."

Hearing those words, Itachi eyes them both. Half of those words are the same words he heard them say before in the first hallucination he had. This is clearly déjà vu. It's just too weird and there is no way that he can see the future now. Maybe it's just a coincidence since there isn't a doubt in his mind that Kisame and Deidara wouldn't say that in the mention of a landslide existing. Plus, a landslide? This is too much.

Itachi turns and walks away. Seeing him go, Mikoto asks, "Itachi? Where are you going?" The others turned to look at him and Itachi doesn't stop his steps or slow down to answer.

"I'm going to try start the engine. It's better than staying here." Then he was out of sight.

Feeling fearful for his son and considering that the last time someone went down there didn't come back up, Mikoto quickly stood up and calls, "Itachi, wait!"

Then suddenly, Kisame chases after Itachi and stops momentarily to tell his best friend's mother, "Don't worry. I'll protect him from any danger down there. You just sit back, relax, and we'll be up soon. No worries!" Then he was gone too as soon as he finished speaking and before anyone could stop him. Itachi was already halfway down the stairs by the time Kisame caught up. "Yo, Itachi! Wait up!"

The Uchiha heir stopped walking and looks up to see his friend coming down the stairs to him. "Why are you here, Kisame?" he asks.

The guy answers, "I'm here to protect you in case death comes back to try and steal your life." Kisame sure has a funny way of answering things but at least his heart is in the right place.

Being polite, Itachi tells him, "Thank you. I appreciate it." Being accepted, Kisame smiles and they both continue down the stairs.

"Did ya bring the flashlight?" Kisame asks, since the basement is pitch black.

Itachi's already got that covered. "I left it here." On top of the stair rail is the flashlight. Once the Uchiha was in reach, he grabs it and turn it on.

"Hey, Itachi. Do you believe Juugo's story?"

Itachi doesn't turn to look at him. He keeps his focus on his purpose at hand. He may not be a mechanic, and it appears that Madara wasn't one either, but he does know a few things that might work. "Do you?"

Kisame follows the long hair man to the other end of the basement as he answers, "It's hard not to. The guy is not known to make up some random story to explain a road blockage and he looked pretty freaked out when he came out of the car." Then Itachi stops. Kisame stops as well to not crash into him and the young long hair Uchiha's head is slightly turned to the side. "Itachi?"

Curious as to what his friend is looking at, Kisame looks as well. Only to see Madara's body still lying on the ground with a white bed sheet over him. Once they decided to leave the basement and after Itachi got as much information as he could despite the bizarre results, the least any of them could do was cover the body for its own privacy and for their sake so they don't have to look at the bloody mess any longer. They made sure the sheet was clean to not tamper with any evidence once the real professionals come and take over. If they can come.

Itachi continues to stare at the covered body a little longer and Kisame looks back between the body and his friend. He's sadden for the guy. Itachi was close to Madara. He was practically the only family member Itachi would allow himself to be close to after everything that's happened. Madara was also the only one who Itachi kept in contact with when his feelings went on total shut down. But their relationship goes so much more deeper than that. Kisame feels pity for his childhood friend. Madara was a good person and Kisame really liked him. How could someone like him just die? Suicide or not? Surely it can't be suicide since Madara was all laughs and smiles before. If Kisame could think of someone who would want to kill Madara, it would be Fugaku. But that is not possible and Madara has been dead longer before any of them got here. Which is stranger since they saw him a little over an hour ago. Something is going on here but Kisame chooses now not to think about that. His friend is in silent moaning right before his eyes. Itachi lost another person precious to him.

Kisame was going to put his hand on Itachi's shoulder as a sign of comfort but it was like Itachi sensed it coming. He looked away from the body and continues to walk pass it to the generator before the bigger man could even touch him.

"He's hiding something," is all Itachi says. That caught Kisame off guard.

"He what? Why would Juugo hide something?"

Itachi kneels before the generator and answers, "I don't know. I only know that he's not telling us as much as he really knows. Rather his story is real or not in his current state, he's not too sure if he believes it either. Come here and hold this light up."

Obeying, Kisame walks over and takes the flashlight to hold it up. As Itachi begins to observe it, Kisame asks, "So you partially believe his incomplete story instead of totally dismissing it like Kabuto? Do you believe in ghosts too then?" Itachi stops. Seeing that he did, Kisame is now really confused. Was it something that he said?

"I don't know what to believe," Itachi tells him. "This day has been one thing after another and none of which I could understand it." Then he notices something. He was just staring at the generator as he talked and since he's just staring at it, he notices something about it. He becomes engaged with the generator for the moment and that made Kisame curious.

"What's up?"

"This generator…isn't on."

Uh?

"Of course it isn't on," Kisame tells him. "It's broken."

"That's not what I meant. The power only went out. This generator should still be 'on' considering there is no possible way Madara could have turned it off when he was down here and we were too distracted with his discovering his body to touch it till now."

"You mean…someone else already turned it off?"

"No." Before Kisame could ask about that, he hears a _click_ sound. Then he hears it again and again, until Itachi tells him, "The generator was never on to begin with."

Okay, what?

Kisame asks, "What? Okay, it was weird enough that Madara was supposed to be dead before we came to this fricken house! But now you're telling me that the electricity we were using was not supposed to have been working in the first place? What the hell?"

"Retain yourself, Kisame."

_Drip_

Itachi heard that. Not again. Why is this happening now?

"Hey, Itachi. Did you hear that suspicious dripping sound?"

Hearing his friend ask that, Itachi sharply turns towards him and he asks, "You heard it?" Now Kisame is confused.

"Of course I heard it."

Now that is weird. Before when Itachi heard it and he was with Madara, his uncle acted like he didn't hear the dripping sounds at all. But now Kisame can hear them?

_Drip, drip, drip, drip, GULP_

That one was…new.

Before Itachi or Kisame could speak about that, the flashlight suddenly goes out.

"Oh come on!" Kisame exclaims. It's pitch black again and Itachi can hear Kisame possibly shaking the flashlight and hitting it against the palm of his hand. "What the hell is wrong with this thing?"

_Drip, drip, GULP, swish, swoosh_

That ceased all attempts to turn the flashlight back on. Both Itachi and Kisame remain silent as they hear those watery noises. That is definitely different than the dripping sounds Itachi was hearing earlier.

"There aren't any pipes in here, are there?" Kisame asks. If anyone else was here, someone would make a comment about Kisame's question. But there's something else about the water sounds.

"It sounds like it's coming from outside," Itachi notes. Kisame listens a little closer and sure enough, Itachi is right. The sounds appear to be coming from outside of the basement.

"Let's go investigate!" Then Kisame runs off like a child and a new game.

Itachi tries to tell him, "Kisame, you're going to-"

_Thumb_

"Ow!"

Too late. Kisame just crashed into a wall.

The guy didn't whine about his new sore injury for very long or very loudly to cause those above worry. The watery sounds seemed to have obtained his full attention and distracted him from the pain of his body. That's a first. Usually nothing distracts him when it comes to what happens to his body. Itachi was able to casually get out of the darkness with slow and steady steps. Both of them literally followed the light that lead to the top of the stairs where the candle light was peeking through. They reached the top and Kisame turned to Itachi to hush him. Itachi had to suppress rolling his eyes. It really shouldn't be him who should be quiet. Kisame was making everything dramatic. He dramatically tip-toed to the end of the hall on the opposite side of where the others were as Itachi just casually walks behind him. His footsteps resemble to that of a cat anyway. On the opposite side of the stairs, there is a back door, along with the laundry room on the side but that's not important at the moment. As Kisame opened the back door, he looked over his shoulder to see if Itachi was following him and he sees his friend staring at the stairs again.

"This is not the time to be staring!" he whispers, grasping Itachi's shoulder and pulling him away. "The sounds are definitely outside. Come on!" He's sure having fun with this. Itachi doesn't say anything as Kisame pushed him outside and quietly shut the door behind them. As soon as he did, Itachi stomped on his foot.

"Youch!" Kisame yelled out that time and he covered his mouth as soon as he realized this. Then he whispers, "The hell was that for?" But Itachi still doesn't say anything. He just stares blankly at his friend and Kisame is just waiting for an answer. "You going to answer me or not?"

"Listen," Itachi tells him instead, observing the area.

Still a little angry, Kisame didn't realized he asked, "Listen to what?"

"Exactly."

Then he got it. Kisame blinks in confusion before totally calming down and listening. There are no water sounds. It's completely silent.

"What the hell just happened?" Kisame asks. Itachi doesn't turn towards him. He continues to look around, seeing the forest surrounding the summer home, the darkness of the night his eyes begin to adjust to, the silent barn with not a single living creature stirring inside, and the calm still lake reflecting the light of the sky.

That is until a small _splash_ is heard and a giant ripple disturbs the stillness of the water.

Kisame saw it too. "What was that?" Itachi didn't answer. He only stares at it for a moment longer before walking towards the lake. Kisame instantly got worried. "Itachi-san, wait! Maybe this isn't a good idea."

Itachi stops and turns around to face him that time. "You were the one who dragged me out here. You wanted to investigate and that is exactly what I'm going to do." Then he continues to his destination. With no other choice, Kisame follows him.

"Yeah but this is really starting to freak me out! What if there's something in the water?"

And this was the guy who used to love horror films like how a girl loves chick flicks? Although, Kisame is always the one who screams when you're supposed to but he would always come back craving for more. But the guy even screams when it wasn't even scary, according to some people. Now that he's in the real thing he can't handle? Sometimes it really makes people wonder at times.

Itachi ignores him and continues to the lake. Seeing that his friend is trying to pretend he's not even here, Kisame keeps calling for him while trying to catch up. "Yo, Itachi-san! Can ya hear me? Hello? Itachi-san!"

Itachi doesn't answer to either of his callings. As he approaches the lake, he notices something. There really is something in the water.

"Ah, Itachi-san…" Kisame calls, the Uchiha heir feeling his presence not too far away from him. "What's that white thing in the water? That wasn't there before, was it?"

Well that depends, Kisame. Have you been to the lake lately?

Itachi saves his breathe from answering that. The white thing that Kisame is talking about is close to the edge of the lake. Itachi kneels down before the shallow pool of water he remembers playing in when he was smaller and younger and he tries to see if he can make out the shape in the water. Because of the color, it's practically glowing in the water. It appears long and slightly skinny but despite its texture of color and how adjusted Itachi's eyes are to the darkness, he can't make a clear image of what it could possibly be. There are options but it's a lot more than just one or two that could be the answer. So he decides to reach in to pick it up. He rolls up his sleeve and reaches in for it. Just because the object is close to the edge doesn't mean that he doesn't have to reach for it. The lake is also still three feet deep, or the lake leads to that depth. When Kisame assumes that Itachi has a hold of the white object, it was when his friend's body stiffen in slight surprise.

"Itachi-san?"

The Uchiha heir pulls the object up to the surface and in all its glory, Kisame sees a paper white arm in his best friend's grasp – dripping with water from the very finger tips and shimmering in the light. He would have screamed right there.

"The hell is that?" he whisper screams. Why is he whispering?

"An arm," Itachi answers, impassive as always. He examines the body limb a little more before saying, "Male. Slender but very well masculine. Someone who is usually a heavy lifter or a hard worker. Young, possibly around Naruto's age. Albino."

Behind him, Itachi heard Kisame's breath hitch. He turns towards him then, only to see a completely dumbstruck expression.

"Suigetsu?"

Kisame may be on to believe in ghosts and other supernatural crap he watches on TV, but Itachi didn't expect for the man to come to that conclusion all at once. Sure, Suigetsu fits Itachi's description perfectly – very fair skin, light eyes, naturally white hair, and was rather slender despite his part-time job as a sailor on a fishing boat. But the Uchiha knows that thinking of him is illogical, or to even suggest him to be the owner of the arm he's holding is completely impossible.

"Kisame, don't be absurd."

Then all of a sudden, Itachi feels a grip on his arm; the arm that's holding the pale white one and by the time he swiftly turns around to see what's holding, he feels like someone is pulling him down towards the water. It all happened so fast and so unexpected that he didn't have time to brace himself. But there is one thing that he does see before he goes crashing into the water. The only thing that's gripping his hand and pulling him forward is the arm.

_Splash_

"Itachi-san!"

**

* * *

**

Ooh! Cliff-hanger! What's gonna happen to Itachi now?

**But how was it? Good? Bad? Let me know. Until next time and someone will die in the next chapter. Can you solve my mystery?**


	10. What the Frick is Going On?

**A/N: Hello everyone! Author reporting in with another frightening story! In this one, someone is dead in the end and like last time, you got to read all of it to know who it is. Unfortunately, I don't have any winners for this guessing game. I'm sorry. Better like next time though! I hope you like this chapter and I will see you guys down at the bottom with a new question!**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself! God knows what I would do to both the original Madara and the original Kabuto if I did… Thank you for those who have reviewed and play my little game. I'm really happy you guys do that. Now I hope you enjoy!**

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Ch. 8: What the Frick is Going On?

_Splash_

"Itachi-san!"

That was the last thing the Uchiha heir heard before the water complete submerged him. The water blocked any possible way for him to get air, it instantly seeped through his clothes, and the instant touch of the freezing water against his skin felt like a thousand knives stabbing every inch of his skin. Usually cold water would automatically blank out the mind but it doesn't block off instinct. Itachi, on impulse, tried to reach the surface but that was the thing. He tried. There was a problem. He couldn't plant his feet on solid ground and push himself back up. He really shouldn't need to do that in the first place. If he would just stand, he would be above the surface from the waist up. Instead, there is no ground for him to stand on and he's completely under the water.

There was something else too.

When Itachi opened his eyes in the water, he doesn't see the dismembered arm anymore. It's not gripping onto him and it's not pulling him down anymore. But he's still sinking, deeper and deeper into the water.

'_What's going on?'_ he wonders, but does he really need to? Maybe he doesn't notice it at first because he can actually _feel_ the water compared to all the other times he was in some different area at a different time. He didn't feel his surroundings then but he feels this one. He can also tell that he can't breathe.

Trying to keep the air inside his lungs, Itachi covers his mouth and tries to hold all of his remaining air in as best as he can. Then he tries to swim up. He pushes and pushes, swinging his arms up, pushing himself up and kicking the water to move. But no matter how hard he tries, he can't move. He's stuck in one spot, unable to move and unable to breathe.

Then something swims by him.

Itachi stops moving all together as he can feel something swimming around him like a dark shadow. He knows something is here and he can feel the hungry intent. Itachi tries to look for it as best as he can but it's pitch black in this water. Then suddenly a light shines in the water and he can see a shark swimming towards him.

'_A shark?'_

Where did that come from?

Right when it was going to come straight for Itachi, the young Uchiha moves to the side and dodges it. It still swims forward and its fin lightly touches Itachi. When it did, he heard a voice.

"_**Why?"**_

If things weren't weird enough, things just did. That was Suigetsu's voice he just heard. The shark continues to swim and Itachi decides to watch it go – only to see a shadow of someone else in the water. It's only a shadow, but no doubt about it he can see someone there – someone with his head above the water and trying to stay there. He can also see more than just one shark. He actually sees dozens.

Then one by one, a shark attacks. One shark goes to that body and was going to go for the leg, but at the last minute the leg was lifted up and the foot kicked the shark in the head. The shark went swimming away hastily and shaking its head to recover from the hit. Then another shark comes and aims for the body's side. The body was able to turn swiftly enough to avoid it. So far, two sharks were unable to harm that person but because they were attempts, the body begins to panic. Itachi watches as that person decides to try swimming away from danger. He looks a little ahead to see where it's going and he sees a boat. A rather large boat, a fishing boat maybe. This really is another vision of how someone died. Suigetsu was eaten by sharks after falling off of the fishing boat Kisame was the captain of.

When Suigetsu's voice was heard again, it was when a shark became successful on biting him. It bit his calve and started to pull him down.

"_**Why did you make me wait?"**_

Itachi, unable to move at all in the water, is left to watch as Suigetsu tries to reach for the surface and the boat as he's pulled deeper and deeper into the water – blood trailing behind in the water from his cut arm. Soon, he could start hearing voices from up above. Some of them being Kisame screaming about letting him go and crew members trying to convince him otherwise. Itachi was also left to watch as more sharks came swimming towards Suigetsu and started chewing on him and ripping him to shreds. With every bite and every rip of the limb, Itachi hears more from Suigetsu's voice.

"_**I'm sorry I screamed at you, alright! I didn't mean to say the words I said."**_

A shark chomps on his side and starts eating him. Suigetsu screams in the water as his air bubbles rise to the surface from his mouth.

"_**I was just upset. I didn't want to go on some stupid boat trip and I didn't want you to act like everything was alright. Nothing was alright!"**_

Another shark chomps on Suigetsu's arm, the cut one, and rips it right off the body – causing more blood to escape from his body.

"_**We were losing our friends one by one and you acted like their death didn't mean anything. But that was just your way of trying to cheer me up right? You wanted to act happy for them and I acted like a spoiled child, right?"**_

A shark chomps on his leg and another rips apart on the other. Suigetsu was struggling but with soon losing limbs to control and losing a lot of blood as these sharks were eating away at his body, he's not going to last much longer. Soon, all Itachi could see is just this red spot in the water with shadows of a human being ripped to shreds and eaten away by hungry decomposers.

"_**But that is what I wanted to believe! If you wanted to apologize for how you've been acting, or at least attempt it, why didn't you come when it was your stupid invitation! I waited out in the cold for you, I stood by the rail for hours, and I was reviewing a speech in my mind so I could apologize for acting like such a brat. But was I wrong? Were you wrong to act like that? I don't know anymore…**_

"_**Why…at least answer me this… if you love me so much, why did you make me wait for you? Why didn't you tell the other crew men that I was out there so you could warn them? Didn't you love me at all? Did you love me? Did you…wanted me to die?"**_

For the final finale of this scene, another shark comes swimming over at top speed towards Suigetsu's body, who may be dead or close to death, and with its mouth wide open with his hundred of razor sharp teeth waiting for the kill, it chomps on Suigetsu's head and rips it right off his shoulders. More blood exploded in the water and the body goes limp, dead as the sharks continue to feed; feasting on a teenager's body. Watching them, Itachi could only watch. He forgot that he was under water with his lungs burning in his chest for air and he forgot about the freezing temperatures of the water on his body. Once again, he just watched another gruesome scene of someone he once knew dying. First it was getting buried alive, then ripping their eyes out, and now getting brutally eaten by animals. It was all happening at once. All in one night.

Then out of nowhere, Itachi feels someone gripping his hair on the top of his head. That woke him up as that person started to pull him up. One thing Itachi knew as he was being pulled up, Kisame sure has one hell of a rough grip on him. Then he was pulled to the surface and only then did he realize how much water he got into his lungs. He gasped for air and leaned over as he was coughing, gagging, and gasping. The hand was still gripping his hair.

"Do you understand now, you pathetic piece of shit?"

That was not Kisame.

Itachi had his eyes closed since he came up but when he opens them after hearing those words, they grow wide with what he's seeing right in front of him. Literally. He sees the reflection of Fugaku and he's the one holding his head above a tub full of water. The surface was disturbed so seeing his image was little difficult but by his grip, his voice, and from what the Uchiha heir can make out in the water, it's definitely his father.

But what's going on now? And why is Itachi leaning over a tub full of water that he assumes he was just pulled out from? Now that he's out, he feels water only dripping from his hair and head. He doesn't feel it on his body. His proof is he can feel water drops rolling down his skin and sending goosebumps down its path since the water is so cold. The rest of his body is dry but his head is wet.

"Don't you dare start crying!" Fugaku suddenly bellows as he grips Itachi's hair harder and swinging his head around to send more waves of pain. He winced when his father did that.

What does he mean by crying?

_Drip_

Itachi looks down at the water before him and the surface has finally become stable; only enough for him to see another shocking sight. In the reflection of the water, he sees his father looking extremely infuriated and he's not gripping his hair. The hair he's gripping on is Sasuke's. Itachi sees Sasuke crying, his tears falling into the water and sending ripples through the water. However, the disturbance didn't mess up the movements of Sasuke's lips as he speaks.

"…_I'm sorry..."_

Itachi can't hear the voice of his little brother but he can read his lips. The more Itachi reads the more shocked he becomes…even more than as he was watching Suigetsu getting eaten alive.

" 'Sorry' isn't good enough!" Fugaku roars again. He swings Itachi's, or Sasuke's, head again and he yells again, "You need to learn discipline and respect! Something you clearly do not have! You're an embarrassment to the Uchiha name! Do you understand me?"

In the water, Sasuke cries in pain and more tears come running out of his eyes like a never-ending waterfall. He kept repeating two words.

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…Nii-san, help me…"_

And then he said that, making Itachi's eyes wider than they already are.

"Hm? 'Nii-san'? Don't tell me that you have sunk so low as to cry out for your brother? The brother who left you?"

Hearing that made Sasuke's eyes suddenly shoot wide open and his tears stopped. His eyes are wide with shock and realization. His pupils are small and he appears to be shivering and not because of the cold of the water. Itachi endures the pain of Fugaku's grip as the man comes closer to his, or Sasuke's, ear and he speaks again.

"Your brother's not here anymore. He's gone and he left you. He saw how worthless you really are and he left! He hasn't called in weeks, remember? He doesn't care about you. He never has and never will! That is why he left you!"

The broken expression on Sasuke's face became too much for Itachi. Now both of them are shivering, but for different reasons that are so similar at the same time.

No, Itachi wanted to say. He didn't leave because he didn't care. It was because he cared that he left.

"A worthless thing like you…SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN!" And then Fugaku shoves Itachi's or Sasuke's head into the water and keeps him under, smothering him in water. Itachi's face destroyed Sasuke's image in the water and since he's under, he can't see the face of his beloved younger brother again. But maybe that's best. Who wants to see that broken face again? A face caused by Fugaku's cruel lies that hit the boy right at his weak point a hundred times stronger than any insult he could make at him.

Was that how Fugaku was able to control and terrify his younger son? Locking him up in the dark, punish him when he did something 'wrong' like trying to drown him, and telling him lies Itachi never coming back for him? That he hates him?

Like before, Itachi was losing air. He didn't have time to gasp for more and as his head is being dunk into the tub, he tries to struggle. To make things worse, he swallowed some of the water by accident. His lungs burn for air and his mind becomes a blank with only one thing in it. Survive. Struggle to breathe. Fight to live. Is this vision the same as last time when Itachi was in that dark, dark room? Is he fully experiencing what happened to Sasuke? Feelings and all?

And then he's pulled out of the water. As soon as he was up in the surface, he gasped for air that his lungs yearned for. He became so busy trying to breathe again, gasping and choking, that he didn't realize he doesn't have a hand gripping his hair anymore and he's being dragged from the water onto a floor of dirt, grass, leaves, and bark pieces.

"The hell just happened?" Kisame asks, yelling like a mad man. But Itachi can't answer right now. In fact, he acts like he didn't even hear the guy. The Uchiha heir just grasps the ground under him and continues coughing and gasping like his life depended on it. In a way, it did but Kisame has never seen him like this before. Really, what just happened? Especially in four feet of water.

Kisame moves a little closer to his friend once he started to breathe a little easier and then he asks, "Hey, Itachi, you alright?" and he puts his hand on the guy's shoulder. But Itachi didn't hear him, yet he felt the hand on his shoulder. The Uchiha heir slaps his hand away and instantly backs away. Now that was another unexpected thing. Kisame is wide eye at his friend while Itachi looks very similar to how he looked before when he fell in Madara's arms – shock and fearful. Then he started coughing again. His throat now feels scratchy and dry and his eyes are watery from coughing so much. But that last bit of fact is a little hard to fully prove since the guy is practically soaked from head to toe. However, that shouldn't have happened. Itachi shouldn't be wet from head to toe and he shouldn't have been underwater for as long as he had.

Really not getting what's happening but is upset that this is even happening, Kisame yells out, "Okay, seriously! What the hell is going on? We find some kind of dismembered arm and by some superstitious force, you were pulled into the water! Then you were under that water for a few minutes and now you're acting exactly as how you did on the mountain and with Madara! Itachi, what's going on and I want to know right now!"

Itachi didn't answer quite yet. This time, he heard him but some parts of it were going in one ear and out the next. His mind wasn't fully here. Some part of it was still watching Suigetsu get eaten and the other part was stuck with his father drowning Sasuke. How could…he do that to his own son? Did he really think of him nothing as just a waste of air and space? Finding Sasuke in that locked room and seeing the difference between how he acted before left and when he came back, Itachi knew that their father was doing terribly cruel and unforgivable things to him while Itachi was away. But to actually experience it, hearing those words, feeling that pain, it was a lot worse than just assuming things. It was even worse than just listening to what might have Fugaku done.

Finally able to clear the water from his airways, Itachi looks away to make sure that he's actually at the summer house and not the middle of the ocean or in a bathroom in front of a tub full of water. He sees the lake, he sees the house not too far away, and he sees the forest surrounding the area. He's here, in reality and away from life-threatening dangers. He's safe…he's safe…

"It's nothing," he whispers, now being able to breathe properly. Yeah, like Kisame is going to accept that this time.

"Don't tell me it's nothing!" he yells. Itachi looks up at him and seeing not the fearful eyes he only just had but his usual doll like eyes, Kisame moves a little closer to his friend and yells, "This is like the third time you're acting like this! There is something you're not telling us and you need to tell me what the hell it is right now! I won't ever lie to you or betray you! You're my friend. Don't treat me or the rest of us like how you treat your parents!" Standing up to Itachi of all people, the guy's got guts and he has a point. But Itachi's not going to give in just yet.

"Then answer me this, Kisame. That day when you took Suigetsu to Shark Cove on the day he died, what exactly happened?"

Another thing Kisame didn't expect. His eyes widen again and his lips are in the form of a hard straight line. He remains silent for a moment before he spoke again.

"Where the hell did this come from? You're not telling me you're acting weird because of the past?" he asks, now sounding like he's demanding an answer from the guy.

However, Itachi is more demanding than him.

"Answer my question and I'll answer yours."

And just like that Itachi's won. Truthfully, he doesn't want to reminisce about the past – especially on that subject. It's not his business because he has his own problems. But Kisame is asking him what's wrong and it's that certain past that's happening to him. Itachi won't fully admit it, but he is a bit curious as to what happened that time between Suigetsu and Kisame. Suigetsu's words sort of made an effect on him. Not that he's suspecting his friend that he wanted the boy dead and gone. But why would the young teenager himself even suspect of Kisame not loving him anymore? Or even wanting him dead? What could have possible given him that thought?

But still, this is something private and Itachi is not one to get into people's business. Besides, Kisame is the one who wants to know so badly and Itachi for one is not one to give up information up so quickly.

Just by observing his face, the Uchiha heir can see that Kisame gave in. He first let out a sigh and answers, "That day when I took Suigetsu to Shark Cove, I did it for two reasons. One was to get away from reality. The sea always made me feel better. It was my little escape. I took Suigetsu with me in hopes that it could be his escape as well since he loved the ocean so much. However, the death of our friends was not something that could be easily forgotten. We got into a fight about it. I was trying to explain that I just wanted to lighten up a bit but he was yelling that it takes time to get over sadness of our own hearts and the pain the rest of you were dealing with. He thought I was being insensitive for even thinking of this little trip. At the time, I thought I wasn't but now, I'm not so sure anymore. I keep thinking that if I hadn't try to act like nothing was wrong, maybe he would still be here."

He wasn't the only one. If that vision was true, just like every other vision so far, then Suigetsu was also confused if he was acting childish or if he was right.

"What was your second reason for taking him out there?" Itachi asks, his voice sounding gentler and less harsh as it was before.

"I was going to ask Suigetsu to marry me."

Itachi didn't expect to hear that. Sure when everyone was alive, Kisame was like obsessed with the kid. He always talked about him and practically gave the details of their dates every time Itachi had the 'unfortunate' opportunity to speak to Kisame after one. But never has he heard of Kisame wanting to ask the kid to marry. No one noticed but the water rippled after Kisame confessed that.

The bigger man now has a small smile on his face, a very sad and yet joyful smile. "I know that when Sasori proposed to Deidara, it didn't work out so well. But Suigetsu and I have been dating much longer before those two even stopped arguing every two seconds. I was actually planning to wait till he graduated but he was really depressed and I didn't want to see him like that anymore so I thought better propose now or never to try and cheer him up. But when they say cold-feet, they mean 'cold-feet'. After we argued, I felt really guilty so I sent him a letter to tell him to meet me on deck in an hour. I thought an hour was all I needed to prepare but I took longer. I wanted to give him a perfect speech of how I was sorry, it was insensitive of me to even pretend that everything was fine, and that I wanted him to give me that beautiful smile of his. But then next thing I knew, Zabuza fixes that big search light and I hear a splash after it came on. Then it was 'man overboard' all around and I came running out as soon as I heard it was Suigetsu who fell in. By the time I arrived, I was already seeing the crew men looking for the lifeline to get him out as soon as they saw sharks. But it was too late. He was already getting dragged into the water. And you should know the rest. I stood there, struggling to get free to save him, but the crew was too strong for me to do it alone and I saw the dark water turn to red. Because of my insensitivity, I lost him and it's my greatest regret."

Kisame lost his smile when he mentioned Zabuza fixing the search light. Then his face became that of a dead beat animal. He couldn't face looking at Itachi anymore. He looked away and he almost looked as dead of a doll as his friend. The only difference between them is a part of him is still human; the part where his eyes showed the very guilt and grief he's felt losing his love.

It's not just Itachi who feels the guilt. Everyone in this summer house has their own regret. All except Fugaku but from Itachi's point of view, Deidara has guilt, Madara has his own, his mother, and now Kisame. Everyone has shame and everyone is still stuck in the past.

Looking away, Kisame notices something. He sees ripples in the lake. That catches his attention and he looks up, only to jump up standing and backing several steps away from the lake as he possibly could.

"The frick is that?" he screams, pointing to the lake. When Itachi looks, he jolts and backs away from the lake as well but not as far as Kisame and he's still sitting.

In the water of the lake are body parts. First it was the dismembered arm that Itachi found before and now it's flouting in the surface as, from what can be seen from the light of the moon and stars, the water turns red. As the color grows and grows in the water, more parts rise up. A foot, a leg, a shoulder, and some bits of chest; all except a head. All of it just came up rising and the color just spreads until it reaches the edge of the lake. This time, it's not just Itachi who's seeing this. Kisame is seeing this as well.

Then all of a sudden, an arm came shooting out of the water near the edge. This cause Kisame to nearly pee his pants and it makes Itachi jump where he sits. As soon as the arm came shooting out, it reaches for the surface and dug its fingernails into the earth in the same direction as Itachi. Its fingers are covered in blood.

This body part is acting like it's still alive and that is what causes Kisame to rush to Itachi and grab his arm. "Let's get the hell out of here!" He pulls the smaller man up and he drags him back to the house, running as fast as he can. None of them looked back as they ran.

Which means they didn't see that arm start pulling out a whole body out of the blood-stained water. A body with dark clothes, short black spiky hair, a crocked neck, and wide onyx eyes, pleading and scared.

"Nii-iiiiiii-saaaannn…." His other hand reaches out towards the house as he sees Kisame opening the back door and running in before slamming it shut. However, his eyes were on his brother the whole time. "…help…" Then his reaching hand points.

* * *

When those in the living room, sitting together, heard a door slam, they all nearly jumped out of their. They just had to look up and they see Kisame seconds later running in and he screams, "We have to get out of here! This place is freakin haunted!" He had Itachi still in his grip when he came in. More people look at Kisame from his outburst while Deidara and Mikoto notice that the youngest Uchiha amongst them is soaking wet.

Calming down from the slamming of the door and the sudden screaming, Kabuto asks a bit irritated, "What are you talking about, Kisame?"

Then the guy starts waving his arms around. "I mean that this place is freakin possess! We need to leave, NOW!" Then someone grabs his ear and twists it. "Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Looking at who 'attacked' him, it's Itachi.

"Release my wrist, Kisame." He did when Itachi pushed him away and released his ear. While Kisame rubs his ear in pain, Itachi does the same to his wrist.

"Sweetheart, what happened to you?" Mikoto asks. "You're soaked to the bone."

He calmly answers, "It's nothing, mother. I just slipped into the lake."

"Slipped into the lake?" Deidara repeats, making sure he heard right.

But then Kisame yells, "But Itachi-san didn't fall in! A hand pulled him in!"

The others didn't expect to hear that. "A hand?" Kisame nods, and then he turns to Itachi.

"Don't you dare deny it either! You made your impressive analysis about it and everything!" Itachi doesn't say anything to that.

"Okay, before I get ready to send you a crack house, would you please tell us what the heck you're talking about?" Kabuto asks, starting to get frustrated now. It's bad enough that his phone can't work in this area but now he has to deal with a grown man screaming about what? A hand and how it pulled Itachi into the lake?

Naruto also adds, "And what the hell were you two doing at the lake anyway? I thought you went to suspect the engine? You guys took so long that you made Juugo worried and he went down looking for you."

What…did he just say?

After Naruto said that, both Kisame and Itachi became silent. Just to be sure, Itachi asks, "Juugo went down to the basement and he hasn't come back yet?" Hearing this and realizing it also, Mikoto gasps loudly and the realization spreads to the others.

"Yeah," Naruto answers, like he's confused. "Since you guys took a while, he went in to check on you to see if you needed help. We figured that since he's been down there for the past few minutes, you…" Realization hit him last. "…needed…his…help…" His voice trails off and his eyes widen with each second progressing the idea.

If Juugo went to the basement and he's been gone as long as Naruto said he has and Itachi and Kisame just came from outside without once running into him, then that must mean…

Without another word being exchanged between them, Itachi becomes the first to turn around and head straight for the basement. Next became Kisame, then Deidara, and finally Naruto.

"Hey!" Kabuto calls, but they didn't listen. He turns to the Uchiha parents and tells them, "Wait here. It's not a place for you, Mikoto-san." Then he goes after the others, but not before grabbing one of the lighted candles.

Fugaku watched them all leave, one by one, but when he hears his wife sobbing, he looks down at her to see her covering her mouth in shock, her body shivering, her eyes are wide and tears are rolling down her face.

"W-why…?" she asks, her voice shaky, weak, and high pitch from the tears. "Why is this happening…? Why?" Then she really starts crying, imaging the absolute worst of what just happened. Seeing her like this, what is a husband to do but hug and comfort his wife?

"Shh, shh," he coos. "Calm down, calm down. At this point, there is no need for tears."

"_**Really?"**_

Fugaku gasps when he heard that and out of the corner of his eyes, he sees something. Quickly he turns to look at what it was but when he did, he doesn't see anything. Mikoto continues to cry in his chest so she must not have heard it but how couldn't she? Fugaku heard it and he heard it as clear as day…or did he?

Maybe he just imagined it. Yeah, he imagined it. There is no way he could have heard that and there is no way he saw something that looked like a person with pale white skin, long ruffled hair, super wide eyes, and a wide, creepy smile. There is no way, right?

* * *

Arriving at the basement, Kisame becomes the first to scream out into the dark. "Juugo! You in here?"

Itachi was the first to open the door and Kisame is right behind him. Arriving after those two is Naruto and Deidara. Kabuto came moments later with light, but before he did all anyone could do was wait and stare at the darkness of the basement. There are no replies. No sounds whatsoever. Just complete and total darkness. It's absolutely silent.

"Do you people need some light?" Kabuto asks, raising the candle up higher. Turning to him, Deidara snatches the candle away and passes it to the first person in front of their little group.

"Itachi, here, un," he says, passing the light to him. Kabuto got a vein pulsing on his head. Sure, let's not thank him for bringing light since we can all see in the dark. How gracious of them.

The Uchiha heir says nothing as he accepts the candle and its light. He only nods and descends down the stairs. Everyone else follows him, staying close together in case something happens. Especially Kisame. Well rather, Kisame and Deidara are trying to stay close to Itachi while Naruto is observing the scene and is cautious in case anything comes up and goes 'boo'. Kabuto just looks around.

By the time that the group reaches the bottom of the stairs, Naruto tries this time to call for him. "Juugo! You're in here, right?" Then as Itachi turns around with the light to look at the center of the room, everyone saw a shocking sight.

"Found him."

That wasn't any of them.

Seeing that sight and hearing those swift words, it made all of them jump; Itachi less than others of course. But when he jolted, the light from the candle flickered. When it flickered, the person they saw saying those words disappears and before their gaze now is Juugo lying on the ground in the pool of his own blood and a knife in his chest.

"J…Juu…go…?" Deidara questions, seeing him.

No one made a sound or quick movements after he asked that. Just like when they discovered Madara's body, all of them became too shock to move properly. If Mikoto was here, she could have screamed, just like when she saw her brother's corpse. But this time, the person who has that same similar reaction is Naruto. He takes one step back and his legs couldn't hold him up anymore. Everyone looked at him when he fell on his butt.

"The frick…" Naruto mumbles with his shaking body. "What the frick…is going on here? Why is this…happening?" Soon, tears came rolling out his eyes the longer he stares at Juugo's now lifeless body.

That is something everyone here wants to know. Tonight, Sakaguchi Juugo has become the second victim of tonight's murder mystery. Looking back at the corpse, there isn't a doubt in Itachi's mind, or by any other evidence that can be seen, that Juugo's cause of death is the knife in his chest. From what he can see, that knife hit the area around the heart area and judging by the blood puddle around his body, he's been dead for no longer than six or seven minutes. Maybe around the time Itachi asked Kisame questions about Suigetsu's death. Whoever must have killed Juugo had plenty of time to run off as soon as he committed the crime and if he was silent enough, it wouldn't be a surprise as how no one noticed him. Also, when they came running back into the house, Kisame was dragging Itachi and running in too fast for either of them to notice anything that was out of the ordinary. Whoever this culprit is, he's crafty, swift, and careful.

However, that is only for the murder. None of it explains about Itachi's 'visions' and none of it explains what both Juugo and Kisame saw; someone emerging from the mud and body parts flouting to the surface from a late. It most certainly does not explain the person everyone saw before discovering Juugo's body.

The person who was here one second and then gone the next.

The person who was both white and brown.

The person who had wide green eyes and silver hair.

The person who looked exactly like Kimimaro.

* * *

"Finally. I found you, Juugo…Thank goodness…And now we can be together. You and me forever, right…?"

**

* * *

**

And there you have it. The next victim was Juugo and he died of a stabbing. Now I'm not killing people at random. There is a pattern. I am wondering if you all can guess what it is. Maybe I should have that as a game question but not for this one. It's too early. Now then, my next question is…

**Who will die next and how?**

**The choices on 'who' are… Naruto, Kisame, or Kabuto?**

**The choices on 'how' are… hacked to pieces, burned, or drowned?**

**But how was the chapter? Good? Bad? Let me know and let me know on your next answer. Till next time! –evil laugh-**


	11. Accusations

**A/N: Hello my friends. Okay, this chapter is a bit short. Sorry. I'm trying to divide the next death in equal parts and if you ask me, the scene in this chapter is a need for this story. You'll know what I'm talking about in the chapter.**

**I DO NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself! Wish I did, but the world is just extremely cruel like that. Thank you for those who have reviewed and voted to who's going to die next! That result might show up in the next chapter or the one after the next. I'm trying to make this all perfect as I go. Enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 9: Accusations

Moving the light back and forth, Deidara observes Itachi's eyes. The young Uchiha just stares at his blonde friend as he's sitting on a chair with a towel his shoulders and while he's being examined – a request that Kisame idiotically begged Deidara to do.

Like last time after discovering the body of Juugo, Itachi did another investigation on the corpse. But all he could find was the same things he discovered before. The body hasn't been dead long and he was killed by a single stab to the heart. But there is one thing that bothers the young Uchiha. There were no signs of struggle and Juugo didn't have a light with him. He could have suspected that since Itachi and Kisame left the flashlight down in the basement, there would be no need for another source of light. But when Kisame and Itachi weren't down there, why didn't he do anything about it? He didn't come back to get some candle light and he didn't report the fact that both of them weren't in the basement. He just went right in and he was killed. Juugo is a big fellow and he could have fought off anyone who would have threatened him if the culprit told him to go down the stairs with a knife pointed at his back. There is just nothing. The other puzzling thing was Juugo looked like he was sound asleep instead of having a distorted look of shocked on his face like some people would have if they were killed off guard. He looked completely at ease…

After investigating, and since the basement is the coldest place in the house, they put another clean sheet over Juugo's body to be saved for when the police come, if they come.

After checking the eyes, Deidara still holds the lit candle in one hand while the other checks the guy's temperature. Confirming that Itachi is only normal temperature, he checks the pulse; pressing his fingers against the throat and feeling the pace of the heartbeat. That's normal too.

For the final part, Deidara lightly grasps Itachi's chin and says, "Say 'ah'," but after he said that, Itachi raises a brow. His expression says to him, 'You want me to do what?' Reading it, Deidara tells him, "It's all part of the procedure, alright! Un!"

"You might as well leave him."

Deidara looks over his shoulder to see Kabuto still messing with his phone but not too occupied enough to say, "He's not going to do it and the person I really think you should be examining is Kisame. He was the one running in, screaming about moving body parts."

"Hey!" Kisame yells out from the couch he's sitting on besides the boy he's been comforting since the discovery of another body. "I'm telling you what I saw and it was moving body parts flouting out of the lake, clear as day!"

"Then how come when we went out, there was nothing?" Kabuto yells back, now really getting frustrated with all of this talk. "There were no body parts and the water wasn't stained red with blood!"

Kisame was going to say more to defend himself, when he feels a hand gripping his sleeve.

"Can't you two just shut up already?" Naruto asks, weakly. The attention is turned to him and he mumbles, "I don't want to hear another word about this." Hearing him say those words, the group became silent all for his sake.

It's really no wonder why Naruto is more broken up of Juugo dying than anyone else. To Naruto, Juugo was like a second brother to him. Even though he was closer to Kyuubi when he was around, Juugo was the one who comforted Naruto when Sasuke died and all of the deaths afterwards since Kyuubi died a month later than Sasuke's. The kid practically stayed at the man's house for several weeks after losing his brother before he had to go to his guardian's home. More than anything, Juugo and Kimimaro were the closest things to parents Naruto had in a long time. Now with Juugo gone, it was like he lost his family all over again.

After a while, Deidara sighs and puts the candle down on the nearest counter. When he turns back to Itachi, he tells him, "Well really, I don't see anything wrong with you, un. But I don't know professionally. Sasori only taught me a few tricks and taught me how to spot symptoms I should be aware of, un. However I don't see anything that could cause you to be under four feet of water for a few minutes, and I don't know how you could have survived being under that long, un."

When he was finished saying that, Itachi looked to the side in puzzlement. Even though Kisame pleaded for the examination, Itachi didn't refuse it because he suspected that there might be something wrong with him. He did after all have a psychological breakdown a year ago, but it was when Sasuke died and his death alone was what caused it to happen all at once. Maybe what he's going through now is slower version of that. Maybe he's having another breakdown because he's at a place that's familiar to him and full of once happy memories. But if these visions he's been having really are accurate then none of it would make sense. Just like Madara's and Juugo's death, as well as some other events.

"If you are unable to figure out what's wrong with my son, then you have no right to even attempt an examination," Fugaku speaks out.

Wonderful. Just what everyone needs right now. More of Fugaku's denigrate bastard remarks. Especially now of all times? Oh god almighty!

"Father, silence yourself."

And the room goes dead silent.

When Itachi said that, all attention is turned to him. Even Naruto, in his distress, looks at the long hair Uchiha when he said that.

What did he just say? To whom?

Itachi stands up from his chair and turns half way to face his father and did he have a sharp, inscrutable look on his face. But in that expression, in his eyes, it almost looks like Itachi is _glaring_ at his father. Fugaku is actually speechless that his son spoke to him like that. It's been a long time since he did.

"At this time, we have no need of your boorish behavior. It is gratuitous and most immature. Two people are dead and we may have a murderer in this area. My advice is to use your energy to survive or solve this mystery instead of patronizing us. As far as medical familiarity is concerned, Deidara is the only person with such knowledge. You need to learn to be more grateful with what you do have instead of complaining." As soon as he was done, he started walking away – to the hallway to the stairs and up to his room, probably to change.

That..was…wow.

Before he was out of sight, Fugaku overcome his shock and stood up before calling, "Itachi, don't you dare walk away from me!" He did stop, only to sharply turn to the man who called him and reveal the full extent of his Uchiha glare. A glare that even made Fugaku tense up and become speechless where he stood. One that always has him scared stiff.

Now this…this is just beyond… bizarre. It's unbelievable and, for many cases, incredible but why is Itachi acting like this? He was just a doll a moment ago and now he has a backbone? What changed him all of a sudden?

Itachi tells his father one thing before he leaves, "If you wish to say more, dunk your head in the water. Otherwise, do not talk to me." Then he was gone like a phantom, his footsteps silent and swift. The only way to see if he really was going upstairs is by watching him head in that direction, and then stop in front of the stairs to stare.

"What in the world is wrong with that boy?" Fugaku mumbles after a long while. The attention is turned back to him as he stands there with nothing but pure anger in his own black eyes. "How dare he disrespect me like that!" Then he started heading towards the same direction as his son to follow him. He knows that he won't reach the safety of his room in time since he'll take whatever time he wants to stare at the stairs no matter what the situation. But before he could get very far, Deidara stood in front of him to block his path. "What are you…"

"If you ask me, he wasn't wrong, un!" the blonde yells at him. The older man stares at him in surprise, along with everyone else. "Listen, Fugaku. I don't care what you have to say about me, that I don't have a medical degree or if I can't even perform surgery, un! But right now, none of that matters! Madara and Juugo are dead and soon one of us might be next if we are trapped in an area with some kind of psychopath running around, un! You're the retired chief of the police force, right? Use that old brain of yours to start thinking of what to do instead of acting like a child who isn't getting his way, un! Or I swear to you, I might as well strap you to a tree and hand you over as a present to who's ever on a killing spree, un!"

Silence filled the room after he said that. If it was only Deidara who stood up to Fugaku, someone would say something at lease moments after he spoke. But to have Itachi not only speak up but even glare at his father, that is something no one can get over so quickly. Even Kabuto is by flabbergasted with all of this.

However, since it is Deidara who's talking right now, Fugaku was able to gain back some bit of composure before saying, "You wouldn't dare."

"Do I look like I'm joking, un?" He doesn't. He looks dead serious. Deidara dares one more step closer and he says in deep threatening voice, "You messed up one of my friends. I won't allow you to mess up another or take one away, un." Then with that, he sharply turns away and he becomes the one to follow after his long hair Uchiha friend. Though when he disappeared from Fugaku's sight, he stopped to stare.

At the stairway, he sees Itachi sitting on the floor and he appears as though he's seeing something the blonde cannot. Also, the Uchiha heir appears to be caressing something. From what Deidara can see, it just looks like Itachi is just stroking air. In Itachi's eyes, however, he's seeing Sasuke on the floor, looking as how he did when the older Uchiha brother first found him. He just sits there, seeing the image only he can see and he caresses the raven locks he so missed. Then after a moment Deidara of seeing this, the image disappears and Itachi stands up before walking up the stairs. After watching him leave, Deidara's blue eyes are filled with pity and sorrow for his friend like a lonely pool of water after a storm. He waited a moment before following him again.

As for Fugaku, something else stopped him from permitting his pursue on his 'disrespectful' son.

"He's right, Fugaku."

The older man turns around and now the attentions has fallen on Mikoto who is still sitting on the couch with her hands holding each other on her lap. She looks up at her husband and her eyes appear stern and hard; another shocking sight for all. "If we are to survive this night, we must find who the killer is immediately. It's not any of us since we all have an alibi to when the murders occur."

Then Kabuto cuts in saying, "Well we do for Madara's case but not all for Juugo's." After he said that, he turns to look at Kisame. Following his eyes, everyone turns to eye the fishing man.

"Okay, hold on!" he calls in his defense. "I told you what happened. We went to check on the generator and after discovering that it was never working in the first place, we heard water noises that were coming from outside and went to go investigate."

"And then you saw an arm in the water and it pulled Itachi in and kept him under for a few minutes, right?"

"It's the truth!"

For those who hadn't seen it, that story is not convincing at all for any of them to believe. Especially not someone as obdurate as Kabuto. "Way I see it, you two probably committed the crime and since Itachi got blood all over his clothes, you took him out to the lake to get him clean up and made that absurd story to explain why he was soaking wet."

He has a point there and without Itachi, Kisame can't really make a good combat to that. He needs a detective genius to get this business man off their butts.

"What reason would either of us have to kill Juugo? I sure don't!"

"And Itachi?" Kabuto questions. While he's looking at the bigger man with sharper eyes, Kisame is a little taken back that the silver hair man would say that. "I know you pity the guy but he stands in front of a staircase for who knows how long before he climbs them! Like his brother, I think he's starting to get sick in the head since Sasuke died. He was suicidal before. I wouldn't be surprised if he's become homicidal. Did you know that he was actually the last person to see Madara alive?" By the look on everyone's faces when he said that, that was a 'no, they didn't notice'. Everyone looks at him with dumbstruck expressions. He puts in more details. "While you were trying to light candles, I saw him leaving to follow after Madara. He's also the one who made the autopsies on both corpses so his analogies of his uncle being dead long before we got here is completely illogical. It doesn't even make sense and it's a bunch of bogus. As far as I'm concerned, he as close to a psychopath as we have."

Before anyone else, Kisame quickly defends, "There is no way that Itachi-san would even lay a hand against us! He's not like that and I'm offended to know that you would even think that! Sure we haven't talked to the guy in a year, but you haven't exactly been in close contact with us either!" When he accused that, Kabuto flinched. Got him there.

"Besides," Kisame decides to add, "Madara was very precious to Itachi-san. When Sasuke died, he already lost so much. Why would he kill someone who supported him when he didn't ask for it, been there for him when he wanted to be alone, and took care of him when he didn't want it?" Then he pauses, only to take a glance at his friend's father. Fugaku narrows his eyes at him in case he's going to say something to him but after a while, Kisame looks away and his fists become tight. "Madara was more of a father to them than anyone. Now you give me one good reason why Itachi would even do such a thing to someone like that? Also, rather you believe my story or not, I was still with Itachi when Juugo died and nothing happened! He was pulled into the lake by a dismembered arm or he fell in, take your pick because that's what happened!"

The whole living room went quiet. Possibly the only sound in the group now was the sound of those moving footsteps on the second floor and the house breathing itself. Kisame's speech was admirable and full of devotion for his friend. Kabuto can see that.

However, he calms down from it and adds, "I'm only telling you what I'm seeing from my point of view. He disappears for a moment and Madara is dead. Then both of you disappear, he's soaking wet, and Juugo is dead. And Itachi just snapped at his father. Since when was the last time he's done something like that after his little brother died?" He's got another point there.

Right now, Fugaku doesn't know rather he should be thinking about the situation or he should feel insulted that Kabuto is talking like he's not even here. He didn't have time to decide when Naruto spoke next.

"Never," he answered finally. They look at him and he adds, "But even though I hate that guy, I don't think he killed either of them. He's too much of a doll to act on his own and I saw them both talking before Madara went down to the basement. Itachi didn't follow his uncle down there. He came back and helped us light the candles." With that said, that completely destroys Kabuto's accusation about him. Itachi has an alibi for both murders and Kabuto looks away, grimacing in irritation.

So that leaves only one other explanation. Someone else is here.

Someone or something.

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Dun-dun-DUN! Realistically, everyone has an alibi so there must be another person at the summer home, but who?

**So how was it? Bad? Good? Let me know, kay? Till next time!**


	12. Do You Want to Forget?

**A/N: Hello again! Thank you to those who have voted and I can't wait to show you all the results when they come! Sorry but it's not going to happen in this chapter. You guys remember that flashback Itachi had? The one that Deidara interrupted? Well how about I finish that for you?**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story. I seriously wish I did because I really want to terrible and merciless things to Kabuto right now… Anyway! Thank you for those who have reviewed and please keep them coming! I know that it's not much but I love to know that people are reading and are giving me feedback about each and every one of them. Thank you and please enjoy this chapter!**

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Ch. 10: Do You Want to Forget?

After getting the white collared shirt on his shoulders, Itachi straightens it a little before buttoning it, leaving the first two buttons unbuttoned. At the moment, he's wearing long black pants with a tint of red in the coloring, a black belt, and he has a matching jacket to go with it lying on the bed in front of him.

After making it to the second floor of the room, he decided to have a quick rinse with some warm water before he changes into another pair of warm clothes. He did after all fell into some lake water. A shower is necessary. Surprisingly there _is_ warm water here. Even though the generator isn't working, at least the heater was. But that might be temporary for all everyone knows. There might not be very much so Itachi tried to use as little as he could. Then when he came out, he almost ran into Kisame.

"What the heck are you doing taking a shower at a time like this?" the big man asked while they were just looking at each other at the doorway.

Like always, Itachi gave the idiot some pain as he spoke, "I fell in lake water, Kisame." He did the same as last time. He pinched the guy's ear and twisted it.

"Ow, ow, ow!" he complain. When Itachi released the poor man, the younger Uchiha walked pass him and was heading for his room.

"And you have no right to talk when you yourself are going to take one."

When he said that, Kisame tensed up like a kid caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. Got him there.

Before the Uchiha closed his door, Kisame quickly yelled to him, "I always take a bath when I'm frustrated! It's your fault I'm like this, ungrateful jerk!"

If Itachi had not been listening to the discussion that was happening down stairs, he would have questioned the name calling. But he said nothing as he casually closed his door while Kisame slammed the bathroom door and then locking it. Good grief. Acting just like a four year old.

However, Itachi really can't blame him for being upset like that. Since the house is practically silent everywhere, the conversations in the living room can easily be heard. Heck, Itachi even heard them in the showers! At least someone was actually thinking things through. Since Kabuto did see him leave before they discover Madara's corpse, Itachi can't blame the silver hair man to come up with such a conclusion. He would have thought of the same thing as well. Which means that it all leaves to the idea that there might be a tenth person here. This mystery just gets weirder and weirder.

But, that wasn't what Itachi was thinking about when he had the time to think. Once he got his jacket on, he sighed. "I suppose I should apologize later."

"Don't, un."

Hearing his intruder, Itachi looks over his shoulder and he sees Deidara at his open door. An open door.

"It's rude to spy when someone is trying to change," Itachi tells him, stoic as ever. Though when he said that, Deidara's cheeks turn red instantly.

"Like I would, un!" he proclaims. "Your door was open when I got here, un!"

What?

Itachi faces him fully and asks, "My door was open?"

Deidara loses his blush and now he has a raised brow and confused azure eyes. "Uh, yeah, un. When I decided to come check on you, your door was open so I came to talk to you, un." Once he finished, Itachi said nothing. He looked at the blonde and then at the door. He was sure he closed it when he came in. After all, Kisame is up here and Itachi is not going to change clothes with the door open like some shameless bum. He also didn't hear it open. The house is too silent for that to pass him. So how…

Looking back at Deidara, Itachi notices that he's staring at him. "Why are you staring, Deidara?"

Again, the blonde blushes. "Well, you look like you're ready to go to a party, un," he answers quickly. "You don't usually bring clothes like this to a house in the middle of the woods, un." Actually, Itachi looks more than just like he's ready to go to a party. He looks like he's either ready to go clubbing or a fancy restaurant. Or better yet, a business dinner. Definitely not something you would wear to a summer house.

Looking back at his clothes, even Itachi himself has to admit that this is not suitable to wear on vacation. But yet again… "Madara told me to pack warmly and as far as clothes goes, garments such as these are all I have. I don't have relaxing clothes anymore."

This slightly surprises Deidara to hear. Even though it really shouldn't. When going to ANBU University to study the classes Itachi needed, dressing as if you're going to a job interview is something that is unavoidable and necessary. But still, Itachi could at least have a T-shirt or something in his closet at the mansion, right?

"Don't apologize, un," the blonde tells him firmly. Itachi doesn't say anything to that just yet. He just stares and listens since it appears that Deidara has more to say to him. "I understand that things have been hard and you said so yourself that you don't know what else to do but to let people tell you what to do, but you can't let someone like _him_ to control your life forever, un! You just said so yourself that he's rude, he's despicable, he's-"

"He's my father, Deidara," Itachi interrupts. "As his son, I am to obey his every order."

"But you know what he did!" Deidara yells, getting all excited and trying to get his words through this impossible man before him. "Don't you remember what happened when you actually came back? What you went back to?"

How can he? It was when Itachi found Sasuke in a locked room.

_

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_

Flashback 1

"_Sasuke?"_

_Itachi turns to where he assumed he heard him and there is another door in that room, thanks to the light on the floor to reveal it. It looked like a door that belongs to a safe in a bank. It was a steel door and it had a huge knob on it that looked like the wheel of a pirate's ship. It was also only then that he realized that he can hear very, very faint banging sounds from the other side._

"_Nii-san! Nii-san!"_

_No doubt about it. Sasuke is in there and he's calling for Itachi. So out of reaction, he rushes to the door and quickly turns the knob to get the door open._

"_Itachi, stop!" his father yells, but Itachi isn't listening to him. He's listening to the cries of his little brother on the other side._

"_Nii-san! Nii-san! I'm in here! Come find me! NII-SAN!"_

_Before Fugaku could even move towards his son, Itachi got the door open and the first thing that came out of that room was Sasuke. He ran to him and clung to him as if life depended on it. It surprised the older Uchiha brother greatly and all he could do was just stand there as Sasuke has his arms around him, shivering, and crying._

_The hold around him gets tighter as Sasuke cries, "Nii-san, nii-san, nii-san…"_

_What…did Fugaku do to him?_

_Itachi has never seen Sasuke like this before, not since he was a little kid. But the boy is now a teenager, nearly seventeen and he's acting like this. Since the last time they saw each other, this sudden attitude change causes Itachi to forget where he is and what was just happening two minutes ago. All that he could think was something is wrong with Sasuke._

"_Fugaku, don't!"_

_Then his mother screams._

_Itachi was able to look just in time to see Fugaku ready to strike him with a baseball bat. Has that been in here this whole time? The older Uchiha brother moved fast. He grabs a hold of his little brother, moves out of the way, and allows Fugaku to fall right into the room he incarcerated Sasuke in. The boy still clings to him like a Koala bear and Itachi shuts the door to lock his father inside the room, locking it as well._

_He hears, "Itachi! Get me out of here, RIGHT NOW!"_

_Yeah, like that is going to happen._

_While his father is banging on the door this time, Itachi tries to get Sasuke's arms off from around his chest but when he just tugs on them, his little brother screams._

"_NO!" Then he clings on tighter, not wanting to let go. This only shocks Itachi even more._

_Then Fugaku bellows out, "Sasuke, I demand that you let me out this instant!"_

_What in the world would make him think that Sasuke would listen to him?_

"_Please…."_

_Itachi looks down at his little brother when he said that. He sees tears still running down the boy's face from wide, terrified eyes and he feels the boy's hands gripping onto his clothes._

"…_don't leave me with him, please…I don't wanna stay…" Then he lowers his head and continues crying. The banging and the yelling persist, but Itachi blocks all of them out._

_In his arms, his little brother is trembling. Truly and utterly trembling. He's horrified. He needs to get out._

_Whispering as softly and as gently as he can, "Sasuke, I need you to move your arms to my neck, okay? I'll be able to carry you easily that way, alright?"_

_Itachi did feel the boy tense from his words. He's hoping that Sasuke will be a good teenager and obey. It took a moment but slowly and hesitantly, Sasuke moves his arms from his brother's chest. He was still trembling as he did that; that could be easily seen. Then instantly, Sasuke circles his arms around Itachi's neck and again clings on for dear life. Itachi is grateful that he listened but still how Sasuke's acting, it just hurts him all the more._

_He wasn't here to protect his little brother. He left and allowed Sasuke to rot in this hell hole._

_Once Itachi got an arm under Sasuke's legs and stood up, he started running; out of this cursed room and past his mother._

"_Itachi, wait!" Mikoto cries, reaching for her son. She got as close as grasping his sleeve. But when he stopped and looked at her, he was angry and he was glaring at her. It caused her to gasp and pull her hand back from the intimidation of his eyes. She too felt fear from his eyes._

"_Don't touch me. I have nothing to say to you." And with that, he starts off running again, not caring what kind of reaction he caused on her. The only thing he did care about was getting his little brother out of this house and far, far away._

_

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_

Flashback 2

_**Beep, beep**_

"_Itachi!"_

_Looking up at the sound of a different car and the sound of the voice who called him, he sees a white delivery van with the passenger's window rolled down and Sasori in view at the driver's side. He's indicating for the older Uchiha to hurry up and come. Then the doors of the van open up and it's Deidara who opened them._

"_Move your ass already, un!" he yells._

_Don't need to tell him twice. Going with them instead of taking his own car might be a smarter idea, especially with how Sasuke's acting. So Itachi rushes to them with Sasuke still holding on to him. Once he got in, Deidara closes the door and instantly, Sasori steps on the gas. It actually causes the blonde to lose his balance._

"_Whoa!" he yells, falling. Itachi watches as Deidara lands on his hands right in front of him and a little too close. When the long hair blonde looks up, it became azure meets onyx. The older Uchiha just blinks in how close his friend is as Deidara turns red. Then instantly, he pushes himself off. "Get away from me, un!" he exclaims, backing away. Um, he was the one who nearly fell in front of him. Quickly, he turns to the real culprit and yells, "Dana, watch how you're driving, you asshole! Un!"_

_Sasori just rolls his eyes from his lover's screaming. It's not like he meant for his lover to have an eye contact moment with the guy he 'hates'._

_After venting for that one moment, Deidara crawls to the front and sits in the passenger side. Once safely and securely on the seat with the seatbelt on and everything, Deidara takes a moment to relax and calm down while he still has the chance. Then he turns around to Itachi and greets, "Welcome back, Itachi. Enjoying yourself?"_

"_You tell me," he replies, his voice hard and stern. He looks back at Sasuke to show what he meant. When Deidara looks, he doesn't see the Sasuke he used to know. He only thought that Itachi was carrying him because Sasuke had a twisted ankle or broken leg or something. He didn't expect to see a shivering teenager acting like he just saw the scariest depths of hell and came back. Sasori looks as well through the review mirror and he himself is surprised to see the same thing. They both have the same thought Itachi only had a few minutes ago._

_What did Fugaku do to him?_

_When there was nothing but silence between them, except the sound of the van humming and the sound of Sasuke's soft sobs, it was becoming deafening. Itachi pets his little brother's head in comfort before turning back to the others and asking them, "How did you know I'll be here?"_

_Sasori snaps back from his staring and looks back to what he's supposed to look; the road. Deidara stares a little longer at the younger Uchiha so the red head answers, "We saw you speeding on the street. After you started to call again after three months of silence, Madara did his own investigation on what was going on. He was worried before but he only thought Sasuke just needed something to distract himself since you weren't here anymore. All he heard were sketchy rumors of his new behavior. He never got the full story of how different his new behavior really was."_

_During the middle of his explanation, Deidara's expression saddened a bit and then he looked away, sitting properly on the passenger seat. He then decides to take over on the talking since he knows that Sasori actually doesn't like to do a whole lot of it. "He asked everyone for any kind of information, un. Us, the school, and he tried to get a hold of your mother but she kept saying the same thing to him, un. 'Sasuke is out. You can't talk to him.' "When Itachi hears those words, his eyes widen and his lips became a firm solid line._

_So Mikoto wasn't just lying to him. She was lying to her own brother?_

_Deidara finishes, "However, there was one time that Sasuke answered the phone, un. It was about two weeks ago, I think, un. Madara asked him all kinds of questions but he sounded just like his mom, un. 'I'm fine, uncle. You don't have to worry about me. I'm doing a lot better than how I was before. I'm sorry I can't talk for very long. I'm really busy.' " Now does that sound like Sasuke at all? Not the one Itachi used to know. "Madara didn't like it but he said alright. But before Sasuke hang up on him, he asked about you, un. He asked if you talked to him at all and when Madara answered that you asked for him, he added that you might have been calling the house; knowing you, un. And then Sasuke said the weirdest thing, un. 'Nii-san's been calling? I never heard. I never heard. That was who, that was who. Nii-san asked, nii-san asked.' Then the phone just hung up and Naruto said that he hasn't come to school since then, un."_

_That sounded very similar to what just happened with Itachi when he called. Sasuke answered the phone and then he said something he probably wasn't supposed to. Then the phone hangs up and Itachi finds his little brother in an isolation room. Does that mean that when Naruto said he hadn't seen Sasuke in a week, he was locked up for saying something he wasn't supposed to towards Madara? What the hell?_

"_Then Naruto told us that you called asking about him and your uncle knew that you were probably going to persist about the issue this time, un. He practically begged us not to do anything yet since he knew that at the first sign of any harm to your brother, you would come back in a heartbeat, un. Next thing we knew, we see you speeding on the road in front of a groceries store, un. You owe us grocery money, un!"_

_With his eyes still on the road, Sasori tells him, "You were the one who dropped the bags and ran to the car, Deidara." Like he was happy to hear that._

"_Well why did I have to carry everything, un?"_

"_Because you were the one bragging that you're a big boy now and don't need help to carry something as simple as groceries."_

"_It's dark."_

_Their argument ceased when Sasuke mumbled that. All three of them look, and luckily for Sasori he got the chance to since it's a red light on the traffic light, and they see the teenager gripping onto his brother tighter. Anymore and he might choke the guy but at the moment, that's not important. "It's dark, it's dark, it's dark…I'm scared…I'm scared…help me, nii-san…"_

_This is…heartbreaking. To see the once don't-give-shit-to-what-you-have-to-say-to-me, rebellious teenager to this fragile being, it only made the imaginations of what horrors he's been through all the more worst for them to think of. His clothes look filthy and Itachi can smell the body odor off of him. His porcelain skin is black and blue, some of his limps are swollen, his limbs appear a little skinny compared to how they were, and his lips are chapped. Also on his neck, there are bright red marks on his neck. They're not the normal marks created when someone was strangled and they're too vertical. They look…almost self-flicked._

_Seeing his condition and feeling him shiver in his arms, Itachi pulls Sasuke a little closer to him and he mumbles one thing, "Unforgivable." From Sasori's and Deidara's point of view, it became Itachi who's now shaking – shaking with rage._

"_Unforgivable. I won't forgive him for this."_

…_end of flashbacks._

* * *

Deidara tries one more time to get through to his friend. "Don't listen to him anymore, un! Do you want to live the rest of your life as his puppet, un? Do you want to pretend like none of his actions exist? Do you want to forget Sasuke?"

Itachi still didn't reply. He wasn't even looking at the man trying to talk to him. His eyes are glued to the ground in thought and in his own guilt. He's still in that memory. He covers his face with his hand as his little brother's frighten face wouldn't leave his mind.

Meanwhile in the hallway, Kabuto is walking by himself heading towards his room for some peace and quiet with his phone in his hand, still not working.

"Damn," he swears. "What the heck is wrong with this stupid phone? And what the hell is wrong with these moronic people?" In his frustration, he stops walking. Now he just looks like he's glaring at his phone while clenching it in his grip. "I'm just trying to solve this case and get the heck out of here. I didn't even want to come here in the first place." He clenches the phone even tighter, almost enough to crush it. But then, he releases it and a long silence fills the hallway. He remains quiet and stares while his thoughts run wild. Just thinking…

Then, _BAM!_

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Interesting, ne? I wonder what went BAM just now. Just got to wait and find out. One more chapter and it's off to will be killed next! For those who didn't vote, you still can.

**But tell me how this chapter went. Bad? Good? Let me know, okay? Till next time!**


	13. Snake Attack

**A/N: Ha! Done! Hello everyone! Now some of you guys are beginning to see my pattern on what order I decided to have each person die in so some of my votes have been kind of easy to get, since I'm using the same questions about three times in a row. But now I am going to have different questions. The winners of my last one will be revealed at the end of the chapter, like always and I will have a new question waiting for you. I sure hope you get the next one right.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. Whosever up there knows that I wish I did because I am getting a little impatient with the story and I want to know what happened to my two favorite characters. Even though I respect the others, I'm just anxious. Thank you for those who have reviewed and answered my game questions. Each one of them makes me happy and I adore every one – rather they're good reviews, long reviews, or criticism reviews. I accept all of them! Thank you and enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 11: Snake Attack

_BAM!_

When Deidara and Itachi heard that, they both reacted. Deidara looked like he nearly jumped out of his skin and his soul just ran out when that happened. Itachi just looked up and tried to look past his long hair friend to know what just happened. Deidara took a far more louder approach.

"What the freakin hell just happened?" Must still be excited from the earlier conversation to not say 'un'.

Both of the two long hair men on the floor look out towards the hall, which means Itachi walking up, and both of them see a fog of dust where Kabuto should be. They heard coughing where they look and the dust begins to clear to reveal their business man friend and something else.

Kabuto returns the reply with, "That's what I want to know." Then he coughed some more. Once he was able to stop, he looks and he sees the cause of the _bam_. Before him is a stairway. A stairway that leads to the attic. This made Kabuto really confused. "Where in the world did this come from?"

"Hey, Kabuto!" Deidara calls, walking towards him and Itachi following as well. "Did you pull on the attic string or something, un?"

Kabuto looks at them this time and he replies, "I didn't pull on anything. I was just walking by and then this thing just dropped in front of me!"

Yeah, like Deidara is going to believe that so easily, especially after what he heard from down stairs. "You sure, un? Things just don't just drop down out of nowhere, un."

"And things don't just appear and drag people in lakes, right?" He made that attack on Itachi, glancing up at him. Stairs leading to the attic suddenly dropping from nowhere can probably be categorized as one of the weird and unexplainable things happening tonight. But did he have to make that comment to the guy who nearly drowned? It sure deserved a glare from Deidara.

"Now you listen here, Kabuto-"

_Hiss_

Now what?

All three men look up to the side to the stairs where the noise was coming from and they see another surprising sight; or to Kabuto, shocking. On the steps of the attic stairway with razor sharp, dripping fangs is a snake with, what they can see, brown color scales. It hissed at them again before striking, straight for Kabuto. Right when it was going to bite him, Itachi pushes Kabuto away and backs away himself to avoid the bite. The snake ends up heading straight for the bathroom door. It crashed and fell to the ground.

Deidara yells out, "The hell, un? A snake?"

"An Inland Taipan," Kabuto mumbles, on his butt from being pushed. That caught Itachi's attention. Inland Taipan are not native here and isn't that the snake that killed Orochimaru?

After a moment of being dazed from the run in with the door, the snake turns its attention back to Kabuto and hisses again. This time, he tenses up in fear before getting up and running away. The snake slithers in pursuit at incredible speed.

"Hey!" Deidara yells. "Don't lead it to the others!" Then he starts running after him. Itachi follows him as well since he knows exactly how deadly Inland Taipan's poison is. However, as he was running towards the stairs after Deidara, he hears something.

_Click_

He stops running and Deidara became too side-tracked to notice. Itachi turns to the room he heard that from and he's staring at a closet. Did he just hear something…_move_ in there?

* * *

Kabuto came tumbling down the stairs. He caught himself with the rail but he didn't pause just yet. He keeps running. Though because he was so noisy on the stairs, those in the living room heard him. Mikoto became the first to get up from her seat to see what was wrong, then Naruto, and finally Fugaku.

"Kabuto-kun?"

That became when they see the snake leaping from the stairs and still making its chase upon the silver hair man.

"What is that?" Fugaku asks, in his surprise. Mikoto is confused as well but Naruto's eyes widen because he knows what that snake is.

"Hurry up and run, Kabuto!" he screams.

Then Kabuto's footing went wrong and he trips. He lands on the ground and while Mikoto and Fugaku are uncertain on what to do, Naruto runs towards him.

"Naruto-kun!" Mikoto calls.

Kabuto doesn't look up at them. He looks over his shoulder just in time to see the Inland Taipan snake take one more leap into the air with its mouth ready to bite. He shivers where he lies.

_Bam_

Naruto stops his running and his face goes back into shock with what he sees in front of him. Everyone else is surprise, including Deidara a few ways behind the scene. The snake's head became crushed by a baseball bat against the wall. Itachi hit his mark precisely. The snake withered a bit before it limped from the wall, dead.

"Itachi," is all Naruto could say at the moment. Most of them are too shocked with what just happened to say anything. Itachi on the other hand, lets out a deep breath before looking down at the business man.

"Are you alright?" he asks. His question brings Kabuto back to reality.

"I'm fine, thank you." He pushes himself up and dusts his body off before looking back at the younger Uchiha with distrust still in his eyes. "But don't think that this doesn't put you off suspicion."

He calmly replies, "I wasn't intending on such things." Then his attention goes back to the snake.

How in the world is an Inland Taipan here? And why was it attacking Kabuto of all people? Itachi and Deidara were there when it appeared and it could have gone for either one of them. It's also another surprise that a snake would attack them at all for no good reason. They would only do that when they see them as prey or when they feel threatened. Though there is also the possibility of the snake was being controlled by someone. But why was it up in the attic anyway and for how long since the dust the stairway created proves that they haven't even been used since who knows how long?

With the bat still holding it up, Itachi walks closer to it and then removes the bat once he's in reach of catching the carcass. Though once he did, he feels a shock suddenly pulsing through his body and he tenses up. His mind is being taken to another place at another time once again.

_

* * *

_

Crash, crash, CRASH

It was one second after another, the thick metal ruler Orochimaru had in his hands clashed with an object and either was knocked down from the full blunt force of it or became completely destroyed. It was a good thing that Itachi was off on the opposite side of him or he might get hit from the distress scientist's wild attacks. After what happened in the lake, there might be a chance of Itachi actually feeling the hit if he's not too careful.

Orochimaru hits the counter besides him; completely destroying glass containers, knocking off notes, books, and a glass case with a live snake inside. The case falls to the ground with a shattering _crash_ but did Orochimaru notice? No. He already heard that sound from the other glass objects he destroyed and left its sparkling, sharp remains on the floor. At least, he wore shoes so his feet wouldn't get cut but at this point even if he wasn't, he wouldn't care about the pain of the shards stabbing his flesh and tearing his muscles as he walked. At this point, anyone would think that he was losing it.

"Why…" he mumbles, finally remaining still for just the moment. "Idiots…all of them…"

To Itachi, another strange thing happens. For this being the third time already, nothing supernatural should surprise him but for the knowledge of what happened that none of it should even be possible of seeing is what keeps this unbelievable and shocking. Similar to what happened with Izuna, Itachi suddenly feels like he's not in the lab in anymore but somewhere else. Instead of a busy street in the middle of the day, he's in a completely different room. Compared to the lab room, it appears that he's now in an office. In that office, he sees a man with half of his faced bandaged up sitting behind a large desk in a business suit and a cane at his side. Besides him are two people that Itachi can hardly make out but he recognizes the man behind the desk to be Danzo; Orochimaru's boss. The scene before the Uchiha is Orochimaru being shocked with something and he tries to argue. And similar to what happened when Itachi was having that drowning vision, he sees lips moving and he knows they're saying something but there is no sound. He didn't have time to try and read lips. Orochimaru's voice started to ring in his ears and they're distracting him from concentrating on the argument the deceased scientist is having.

Though obviously, this is the scene where Orochimaru got fired.

Itachi hears, "They just don't understand it…None of them do…"

From what can be seen, Orochimaru's comeback to what his boss just told him became easily dismissed with facts Danzo had against him. Itachi watched his old friend's expression become surprise and then crunched up with anger and resentment once Danzo had finished speaking.

"If people precious to them were dying one by one, then they would understand! None of them understand! _Gasp!_"

Then the vision in the office ends with Orochimaru's grasp. Itachi tries to focus back on this once rampaging scene as the scientist looks like he just realized something. He still has the ruler in his hand but both of his hands are shaking. Soon his eyes become wide and a long smile appears on his face.

"Kabuto…he understands," he says, coming to the conclusion. "He's going through what I'm going through. He must understand! I know he understands!" Then quickly, he rushes to his pocket and takes out his phone. He dials up his lover's number at the speed of lightning and he waits for him to answer. But after the first ring…

"_I'm sorry. The number you are trying to dial is either unused or turned off at this point. You may leave a message or hang up and try again."_ After the operator speaks, there became a moment of silence and then a _beep_ to indicate voicemail is now recording. Orochimaru dropped the phone as soon as he heard the beep.

"Why…" he mumbles. Looking back at him, Itachi sees how shaky Orochimaru's hands have really become. Heck, he even dropped the ruler since his hands are shivering so much. His eyes are now wide with disbelief and his smile is long gone. "Why won't he answer? He said he would when I call to tell him what happened. Why isn't he answering?"

Desperate now, Orochimaru kneels down to pick up his phone, cutting his hands in the process, and he tries to call again. It was the same as the last one.

"Come on, come on! Kabuto, answer!"

He calls again and again, now walking around the room as he continues to call and receive the same operator message. He was like that for a while; calling, circling the room, and spitting out curses and questions of 'why'. Itachi was even a bit cautious of being near his deceased friend who now appears to be completely losing his mind from stress.

"_I'm sorry. The-"_

"WHY WON'T HE ANSWER THE DAMN PHONE?" Orochimaru finally screams, trying to crush the phone in his hand.

_Chomp_

Itachi's eyes slightly widen as he looks down at Orochimaru's ankle. He looks too and he sees an Inland Taipan with its fangs deep in the scientist's flesh. "Get off me!" he yells, bending down to the snake and picking it up; roughly yanking the snake's teeth from his body. Then he throws it across the room and stumbles to the counter behind him as the snake hits the wall and falls to the ground.

"Oh g-god…" Orochimaru stutters, realizing what is now happening to him. It didn't take too long at all till he started coughing and then vomiting on the spot.

Inland Taipan's venom symptoms consist of vomiting, flaccid paralysis, and then respiratory paralysis. First, Orochimaru will vomit, as he's doing now, then he will start to feel as though he no longer has control over his own body. His muscles will weaken and all the while, he'll have a very hard time breathing, till eventually he won't be able to breathe at all.

"I need…" Orochimaru tries to say before vomiting out again and then coughing. Is Itachi going to go through all of that again? Is all he can do is just stand there and watch? Knowing that he can't do anything to make a difference? Is he…just going to watch someone else he knew die right before his eyes? "I need…I need…the antidote!"

Orochimaru tries to walk but he just keeps stumbling. He had to use the counter to hold himself up. He tries to quicken his steps but it appears that no matter how hard he willed it, his feet would be dragging the floor and his legs would give out so he could collapse on the floor, cutting his hands even more and staining his skin and lab coat with drops of the luminous color red. On coincidence, he's on his knees by the ruler he dropped and it wasn't that far away from where Itachi is standing now.

"…why…" Orochimaru asked unexpectedly. Catching off guard, Itachi just stares at him with that feeling again. A feeling similar to when he found his little brother dying right in front of him. Helplessness and that awful feeling of being weak and powerless to do anything to stop it. It's only an illusion, god damnit! There is nothing he can do to change this, but it's just him. He wants to help when those are in trouble are in need and Orochimaru was someone he knew. However, this already happened. No matter how real this looks, sounds, _feels_; it already happened and there is nothing he can do to change that.

Nothing at all…

Orochimaru's gasping voice questions to what he believes to be nothing there but air, "…why…you promised…whenever I..call…why won't you…an..s..we…r…" Unable to hold him up any longer, his arms collapse and his body falls to the ground with a _thump_. The gasping, rasping sound of his breathe begin to die down in a pace that felt like long hours when really it was only agonizing minutes. His body that used to quake and quiver so visible have all stilled. No different from a doll lying on the ground. No, not a doll. A doll would look more alive and still have a look of softness to its form. A statue fits Orochimaru's description better, because there he lies, cold, frozen; dead.

Then Orochimaru's head shoots up from his position, his long course black hair now messy in front of his face and revealing only one wide golden eye.

The sudden action causes Itachi to nearly jump where he stands and he takes one small step back. His own eyes wide for he did not expect that body to move, or for that one eye to look directly at him. That eye looks like it's not looking at Itachi himself. It looks like he's looking right through him, like an ice cold blade of steel running right through him and paralyzing him in place. He forgot how to breathe, forgot how to move, how to talk.

"You broke your promisssssse," he spoke, his voice entirely different than how it was before. This one sounded almost like a hiss, yet deep and horse. It's menacing, sinister, and yet there seems to be a hint of playfulness in them. As if the voice belonged to that of an insane man who with a subject so grim, speaks so highly and joyfully of. It made Itachi's blood run cold and it made his entire body nearly shook with those same feelings expressed in that one yellow eye.

His words, it sounds as if Orochimaru is talking about his relationship with Kabuto but at the same time, it sounds like he's revealing a truth to Itachi. With the long haired scientist's attention on him, there was hardly any doubt that he wasn't doing just that.

"_Why would you leave me behind, you fuckin sadistic? I hate you!"_

And like an echo screaming, those words torture Itachi even more; not with fear but with so much pain and guilt.

"_I promise you, I will never leave you again. There will be times where you can't see me, but I will always be with you. Just remember that. You will never be alone again."_

These words…

These words that were spoken at a different time, much later than the ones spoken before and even though they once held pure and sincere love and devotion, they have the same effect as the ones before it. All those words are now is just a painful reminder of how much of a failure Itachi really. How he failed to keep the one he loved most safe and in his arms. He lost him completely; not only in life but also in feelings.

Itachi couldn't bear to look at Orochimaru anymore. His feelings of guilt, pain, and sorrow overpowered his fear. Not even the sounds of glass shifting and scratching against each other capture back his attention.

"But don't worry…" Orochimaru assures him with a smile on his face. Still the Uchiha didn't look at him. "…_we'll be together soon_." But that time when he spoke, his voice was in unison with someone else who said the exact same words the exact same way at the exact same time. It became that voice that brought Itachi back to 'reality' because it was a voice that he used to know so well. He looks back up at his friend, only for one moment to see Orochimaru in a pouncing position and then springing at him. Itachi didn't have the time to move out of the way, nor was he able to. But after a faint _click_ sound, everything was engulfed in darkness and Orochimaru was gone.

The sound almost resembled that of a light switch.

Even though everything just suddenly disappeared, Itachi was about to have a dead scientist attack him. He took few steps back from reaction of the encounter, but now Orochimaru is gone and he's left in the dark, again. At first, he looked around frantically when Orochimaru disappeared; secretly hoping it wasn't that darkness he was in the first time. But for some reason, this darkness feels…_different_ that that time. Before, he was feeling feelings that weren't even his own. Compared to now, however, he doesn't feel as panicky as he did before and he doesn't feel too terribly frightened or alone.

In fact, he doesn't feel alone at all.

_Thup, thup, thup, thup…_

He feels something far from it.

_Thup, thup, thup, thup…_

What's that sound? Unlike the clicking sound of the light switch, this one sounds more like someone running on solid ground, barefoot. Itachi tries to place where the sound is coming from but it's echoing in this dark abyss and sounds as if it could come from anywhere.

Then all of a sudden, those rushing footsteps are heard very, very close behind the Uchiha graduate. Quickly, he turns around to see who or what it is when it goes running right past him. All Itachi had time to see is a white and blue figure, shorter than him and slender, and with natural gravity-defying spiky raven locks flowing by as the person is running. The hair, the skin color, and the body shape is all Itachi needs to see who it is before he went completely runs out of Itachi's sight.

He didn't think. He only reacted.

"Sasuke?" As quickly as he could for one more desperate needed glance, he turns back around; only to be faced to face with one unexpected surprise.

When he turns around, a gun is pointed right at his head. He practically turned around just to see the barrel, aimed and ready to shot him right between the eyes. The one holding the grip and keeping his finger on the trigger is Sasuke himself. Itachi didn't know which to stare at; the gun pointing at him or the one holding the gun.

His beloved brother is here. Right before him but he's threatening Itachi's life so willingly and so easily.

He's here, looking exactly as how he looked when he was alive. He has a gun in his hand.

Every bit of him is the same; his hair, his skin, his body, his clothes, everything. Nothing is out of place. Not even his neck. He doesn't hesitate in the least as he pulls hammer back of this single-action handgun.

However, there is one thing Itachi notices looking at his baby brother. Sasuke's onyx eyes that would look like deep, dark pools of emotion that he would try so hard to conceal but to no extent. Now as the older Uchiha brother stares into those eyes, they're not Sasuke's. They're the same color and the emotions they have can be easily read and identified but they're not his. They look a lot like…like Orochimaru's. So full of playful, sinister, and malicious intentions and narrowed in their own excitement. The wide smirk on the boy's face only added to the monstrous effect.

"You finally came when you were called, nii-san."

_BANG!_

* * *

Coming back to true reality, Itachi blinks in shock and takes several steps back like how he thought he was going to be tackled by Orochimaru; and similar to that same event, he's not in the darkness anymore. He's in the hallway before Kabuto, his parents, and Naruto and Deidara probably still behind him. Though, he doesn't realize all of this so suddenly. His mind and his mental being are still in that darkness. In that place where his little brother shot him right in the head. He takes a moment to come back to realize he's not only alive but he's back at the summer house. After that, he starts looking around frantically, to make sure that he's really here, and to see if he can still see Sasuke again nearby.

Though to his everyone else, it was one moment he held the snake in his hand, another he became frozen solid, and then finally when he did move, he jumped, took several steps back, and he started looking all over the place in a panic. He's panting and his eyes look unfocused, yet desperately searching for something. What's going on here?

Being the braver one, and the most concerned, Deidara approaches the younger Uchiha and asks, "Itachi? Something wrong, un?"

All he could say was one word.

"Sasuke."

A name.

Then before anyone could react to it, Itachi's eyes roll back and he collapses on the floor, unconscious.

"Itachi?"

* * *

Kisame just stares at the water before him. The crystal clear water that he had filled the tub up with, he just stares at it. Standing there and staring. Just staring.

He watches as that stilled water ripples without reason. No drop of water from the faucet disturbing it or anything at all falling in. It was a small ripple; one that can only be made from a tiny drop of water. Then it got bigger, like a small object falling in. And it gets bigger and bigger, until it almost looked like it's rumbling and bubbly all on its on. Like something is moving inside of the water.

_Knock, knock, knock_

"Kisame, are you in there? You gotta get out of there! This is no time for a relaxing bath! Itachi collapsed!"

But the big blue man doesn't move. Heck! He acted like he didn't even hear Deidara pounding on the doors and screaming at him through it. His eyes are still on the water. Almost as if he's hypnotized by it.

Then that blue crystal clear water begins to change color right before his eyes. Starting off with just a drop of red and then it spreads like a deadly virus. The color was first light red and as it spread – no, even after it completely spread within the tube, the color kept adding until the water became the thick dakr color of blood itself. By then, Kisame kneels down before the tub, his eyes never leaving the water. Even as it finally calmed down and regained back its still-self. Even as a hand rises up from within the blood-red water.

When the hand came up, it wasn't like those body parts in the lake that came out of no where and flouted. No. This hand was like when that one arm with its bloodied fingers sprung out of the water's surface and 'attacked' Itachi. But this hand didn't move so quickly, nor did it act so desperate to reach for something. This one is slow and as it rose up higher, another one came up; both attacked to an arm and both with bite marks and pieces of flesh missing. Soon the arms became shoulders, a neck, a chest, and then a head. By the time those hands press their palms against each side of Kisame's face, he was staring into the wide violet eyes of his departed lover.

"Kiiiissssaaammmeeee…."

Why won't Kisame move? Why won't he jump up and scream like how he did at the lake? Why is he just kneeling before a tub of bloody water and someone who's supposed to be dead looking at him right in the eye and caressing his face? Is he…hypnotized?

With a voice that Kisame should no longer hear ever again, Suigetsu asks him, "Would you…love..me?" as one hand smoothes its way, his finger tips gently brushing against the man's skin, to the back of the head.

By the time he got a hold on him, Kisame finally reacted. "Suigetsu…"

He said one name.

_Gulp_

**

* * *

**

Ahh! Kisame! Well there's your answer.

**Now then, the winners of this predicted murder is 'WraithReaper', 'Sasuke-Fan-723', and 'Hitoko-sama'. Thank you so very much for voting and you three have the privilege of also voting for which new ItaSasu story should be next once 'Naruto Cold Cases', 'You Only Mate Once', and/or this story is finished.**

**Now the next question is, since you already guess that Kabuto will be the next to die: Who will die after him?**

**I'm not asking you on how. I'm only asking on who. I have a second pattern that I'm following. I know you guys will figure it out. I believe in you.**

**Till next time! Bye-bye!**


	14. Possession

**A/N: Hello everyone! How is everyone? Thank you for those who have been playing my game and your answer shall be revealed at the end of the chapter, like always. Sorry that this one is a bit long. It's the longest chapter I've done in a while for this story. Okay, as it is said in the title of this chapter, this one has possession in it. I tried my hardest to make it sound like someone is being possessed so please don't hate me if it sounds really crappy. I asked some people what makes a good scary movie and a majority of them says possession. Others said like dolls moving on their own or complete darkness and all you hear are screams and some kind of crunching or killing sound in the distance.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story. Wish but no. Sadly… Anyway! Thank you for those who have been reviewing and playing my game and I greatly appreciate and love all of them! Now I know that this story isn't very popular but as I said in the beginning, I wasn't planning on this story being popular and I'm only writing this out of my own frustrations. If I've been unleashing chapters for this story a lot, then you guys know that life is being cruel to me and I need to vent out by trying to kill someone. Thank you and enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 12: Possession

_Itachi knows that face. He knows that face all too well._

_Looking into his brother's room because one, the door was open and two, he was bored and wanted to know what his little brother was up to, apparently, he peeks in to see his thirteen-year old little brother on the computer with headphones on, music probably on full-volume, and he's typing on those keys as if he were trying to finish some five-minutes-before-it's-turned-in essay. Oh how the older Uchiha brother knows that scene anywhere. It could only mean one thing. Sasuke has a new obsession._

'_**Oh boy. What could it be this time?'**__ he wonders, sighing as he leans against the door frame. __**'The last time he was obsessed with something, it was computer programs and hacking. Please don't make this one last any longer than a year…'**_

_After mentally praying that Sasuke wouldn't have to suffer through this mania any longer than it should be, Itachi continues to watch his brother looking at the screen with a 'NEED to know' face. When his little brother was into computers, he simply HAD to know EVERYTHING about them; hacking mostly. The boy was way too close to stealing money one time from someone's account just so he can test out his new skills. Man, that was a nightmare and whatever he's on now, please don't make him do crazy things._

_Enough of just watching, and because he can't see the screen to know what the kid is researching, Itachi gets off the door frame and walks towards his little brother. "Otouto," he calls, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. All that got him was the teenager jumping from his seat and sharply turning around with shocked and almost horrified wide eyes. Itachi had to take several steps back because Sasuke did that._

"_Aniki?" he exclaims, before pulling his headphones down. "Don't ever do that to me again!"_

'_**Not my fault you were too engrossed into your computer,'**__ is what Itachi wanted to say but decided it best to just keep it to himself for now. So instead he goes up to his brother again, pushes the boy's head down once his hand was on the back of his head, and looks over him to get to look at the screen. "What are you doing, little brother?" He was a little surprised to what he saw. "Shinigami? Death gods?"_

* * *

"Kisame, if you don't open this freakin door, I swear to god I'm going to break it down!"

That's the first thing Itachi heard through the thick blankets of unconsciousness as he was coming back to full awareness. Besides Deidara screaming, each second passed and the young Uchiha was able to hear more clearly the pounding on a door and the yells of other people.

"Kisame! Kisame!" Naruto screams, followed by two more fist pounds. Gosh those pounds are giving Itachi a headache.

Despite his judgment of lying on the bed he's on a little longer, Itachi pushes himself up to at least a sitting position and waits a moment since nausea hit him when he moved his head too soon. Speaking of the head, he has an even bigger headache now than he did before. Maybe it's because of the nausea and he moved too soon. Whatever the reason and despite the irritating pounding in his head, one thing is for sure – that's the first pleasant vision or memory he had unconsciously tonight. No death, no cruel or horrifying tortures, no predictions of the future; just a pleasant memory. But why did that one come up of all things?

He remembers that day. All of it after he looked at that computer screen, now that he thinks about it. After he snuck a peek, his brother got angry. Who wouldn't? He did just push the teenager aside just to see what his new interest was. Instantly he was kicked out Sasuke's room with the boy yelling and screaming at him. One thing was for certain, Sasuke never stopped obsessing over that subject. Since there was such few information about it he can get from the net, he became more determined to find out more so the interest lasted longer. But again, why that memory?

Then things became silent. Itachi didn't really notice it at first because of his headache, but then after a few moments of blissful silence, he starts to hear more speaking.

"That's it, un! I'm getting something to open this door!"

Then rushing footsteps. Deidara must have left. But why is he leaving? To open what door?

Naruto yells, "Hurry up! Who knows how long Kisame's been in there!"

Hold on! Kisame?

Itachi moves his legs to the side of his bed, apparently he's in his assigned room, and he gets up. He was a bit wobbly at first but once he regained his balance, he starts walking; slowly and easily. Looking outside into the hallway, he sees both Naruto and Kabuto in front of the bathroom door and while the silver hair man is standing back and watching, Naruto is the one pounding and screaming again.

"Kisame! Kisame!"

Then he looks down the hallway, not in Itachi's direction but towards the direction Deidara went, and he curses, "Where the hell is Deidara? He should be back by now with the bat!"

Kabuto tells him, "It's far easier to get an ax to open the door instead of the bat." Naruto turns to him and both growls and glares at him.

"But this is no time to go searching god knows where to find a freakin ax!"

_Bam_

Both Naruto and Kabuto jumped when they heard that and they instantly turn to the side to see Itachi standing beside them and the door open; or rather broken. They didn't have time to speak, let alone get over the shock that the man who just passed out in front of them for no apparent reason is now standing right next to them and he just broke the door open like those cops you see on TV, because the moment Itachi looked inside the bathroom, his eyes widen to the sight before him and his mouth is open in gaping shock.

"Kisame…"

Tearing their attention away from him, they look inside and they have the same expression as Itachi right now, or if not more. Before them they see Kisame kneeling before the bathroom tub and they could see water all the way up to just about the edge. His head is leaning over and from the looks of it, it's underwater.

"Kisame!" Naruto runs to the big man's side and pulls him out of the water. Kabuto goes rushing in as well while Itachi looks like he's trying to regain back his balance. He stumbles for only a brief moment before leaning against the broken door frame and watches – watches as Naruto lays Kisame on the floor. He starts slapping the man's face, calling, "Kisame! Wake up! Can you hear me? Kisame!"

"Back away, Naruto!" Kabuto instructs, stepping in.

Naruto obeys and it becomes his turn to watch as the silver hair man first presses his ear against Kisame's chest to listen for a heartbeat. None. As quickly and as carefully as he could, he tilts the bigger man's head up and opens his mouth. He then pinches his nose and breathes air into Kisame's mouth. Then he goes to the chest and pumps. "One, two, three." He breathes air in again and checks again for a heartbeat. Still none. He does the process again for about three times and each time with the same results. No returning heartbeat.

Getting anxious, Naruto asks, "Is he going to be alright?"

But Kabuto says nothing. He knows that the blonde is not going to like this, or anyone for that matter but there is no denying it. He slowly backs away from the corpse before him and he flats out says it, "He's dead."

Not again! Not another one, is all Naruto could think after hearing the business man's words and then looking down at the person who was just defending his best friend so strongly, who just had so much energy, who was so…_alive_.

As the spiky hair blonde teenager looked like he was going to have a complete break-down, Kabuto turned around to not only face the Uchiha who was still watching but also glare at him. "What did you do?"

Itachi took his eyes off his dead best friend and looked at the man now accusing him with yet another murder. He didn't say anything and from that question, it captures Naruto's attention. He faces back up at the Uchiha still leaning against the door frame and his face holds so much sorrow and so much pain. The tears running down his face also proves that. In only a few short moments, he begins to look like a crying mess. But at least Naruto is showing some bit of loss for the death of yet another person. Itachi is on the verge of staying apathetic and showing in his own way the loss of Kisame.

But no words were said. They never could.

_Crash! Bam!_

"Deidara, stop this!" Mikoto screams at the top of her lungs.

All three of them turn towards the direction of the female scream and they can hear more _crashing_ and more broken sounds. What the heck is going on now? Being the only person standing, Itachi pushes himself off of the door and runs to the stairs.

Kabuto calls, "Itachi!" before he too stands up to chase after him and Naruto following right behind him.

* * *

Left and right, left and right; Deidara was waving the bat around and destroying anything in his reach. Mikoto and Fugaku already ran a safe distance away from him as he smashed windows, knocked down vases, broke chairs in half, and hit books as if he were playing T-ball. Fugaku holds his wife close to him to protect her and she holds on to him for dear life, hearing every sound either an object made when it was demolished or when Deidara screamed out his frustrations.

Both of them couldn't understand what the heck is going on. All they knew was one moment, they heard Deidara running doing the stairs to get the bat and then a moment of silence before the blonde appeared before them with a blank expression on his face, bat in hand. When Mikoto asked what was wrong, he just started swinging the bat around like a crazy person!

Fugaku holds Mikoto closer, upon hearing her whimpers, and he yells, "You imbecile! Have you gone mad?"

"You don't understand…"

Upon hearing that, Fugaku now has a questionable look on his face, but still cautious to what else is going to happen. Deidara, with one end of the bat now on the floor and still in his clutches, he hissed those words with a deep and horse voice. It didn't sound like his voice at all actually. It sounded angry and almost evil.

"You just…don't understand…"

He leans down to the floor and picks up a fallen book.

"NONE OF YOU UNDERSTAND!"

He tosses the book up and hits it with the bat as it comes down. The book hit the wall right above where Fugaku and Mikoto have huddled together. "EEEYYYYAAA!" Mikoto screams and Fugaku holds her even closer to protect her. Deidara bends down for another book and he does the same thing, this time the book hit Fugaku square on the side of his face. His wife gasps and calls out, "Fugaku!" His face shows that he is in pain and some bit of blood begins to roll down his face but he's going to remain strong for his wife. But all that does is make a wide and sinister smirk appear on the long haired blonde's face as he does it again.

"Deidara!"

Hearing that help has arrived, both Uchihas look up, but only flinched when another book hit the wall besides them. Deidara doesn't stop. He continues his base-book game and even chuckles in delight of what he's doing; seeing the fear and hearing the screams of the adults he's frightening. The person who called out to him was Naruto as soon as he and Kabuto arrived. Itachi had already arrived seconds before but he only watched as his long blonde haired friend is behaving like this. He didn't call out and he didn't react. He became completely frozen.

"Itachi! Do something!" Even when Fugaku screamed at him, he still didn't move. To him, he couldn't. Not when Deidara is acting exactly like _him_.

Looking exactly like _him_.

"Orochimaru?"

His mumble was so soft that not even Kabuto or Naruto heard him as they were trying to get over the fact that their friend is even doing this. However, Deidara heard him loud and clear.

The rampaging man stops his actions and he even loses his smirk. He was in the midst of tossing the book in the air. He froze in place and allows the book to come falling down back to the ground. This causes many confusing looks from the Uchiha parents, Kabuto, and Naruto. Itachi remains the same.

Then Deidara collapses. Not to the ground completely. Half of his body, his upper half, just suddenly leans over and then his limps start jerking in all kinds of directions. Not like a seizure jerking but similar. With the bat still in his hand, Deidara's limps even moved and bent in directions that shouldn't even be possible. It both horrified and disgusted those consciously watching him. They can hear every bone cracking his body makes and they can hear all of his grunts and grunt screams. Eventually, the blonde's body is then turned towards the three of men group and he stops moving again. Nothing but silence for several moments and then his head jerks up. His smirk reappears on his face and wide azure eyes stare right at them – piercing right through them like a cold blade, paralyzing them where they stood. Naruto instantly forgot how to breathe as he saw those eyes looking at them and striking fear like a lightning bolt. Itachi took several steps back, having seen those eyes before, and Kabuto not only forgot how to talk. He also forgot how to breathe, move, and think because those eyes are looking directly at him.

"You finally came when you were called."

"_You finally came when you were called, nii-san."_

The exact same words…spoken the exact same way…but different voice spoken to a different person. But does that mean…?

Before anyone could say anything or move at all because of his words, Deidara leaps towards Kabuto and raises the bat over his head. Kabuto still didn't move. Even if he could, he wouldn't be able to get away in time. Right when Deidara was going to crush Kabuto's head open, a hand grabs his wrists and pulls him back. He didn't expect anyone to stop him and that's why Itachi had the advantage to pin him to the wall when he least expected it. No one else expected it either as they all gasp when they see Itachi keeping the long hair blonde pinned to the wall as he struggles.

"What the hell?" Kabuto at last exclaims, seeing Deidara kicking and trashing to get Itachi off of him but the Uchiha doesn't move an inch. Both him and Naruto back away from the scene, or Kabuto pushes Naruto back to stay away.

"Deidara," Itachi was able to call. "Calm down!" But he doesn't listen.

Soon, the blonde's leg slammed itself into Itachi's gut and sends him flying backwards. That kick was hard! Itachi hits the other side of the hallway at the edge of it and the sharp end did not feel good against his back or his head when he collided.

_BAM_

"Itachi!" Mikoto calls, now wanting to get out of her husband's hold to go to her son's aid but he keeps her at his side.

Now instead of Kabuto, Deidara's new target becomes the Uchiha who had slid down to the ground and is now groaning in pain. With the smirk once again on his face and his eyes regaining that merciless and cruel glint, he chuckles and takes a step forward, raising the bat as he does. Itachi looks up at the man before him and instead of looking at him with wide, horrified eyes, his eyes remain stern and fearless. Does that kill Deidara's fun?

No.

"He'll get upset but it's his fault for not being here."

A hint of confusion appears in Itachi's expression when Deidara said that but the long hair blonde says nothing more; now that he has the bat above his head, ready to for the kill.

Mikoto screams again, "NO! ITACHI!"

_Zzzzzz_

Deidara was right about to thrust the bat down when he heard that sawing noise. He took a step forward with his weapon ready and as soon as he heard that, he stops and both the crazy look in his eyes as well as the smirk disappears. His eyes instantly widen in absolute shock, his lips curl downwards, and his body becomes unmoving. He just froze and all because of a faint sawing sound coming through the windows. After a moment of nothing but that noise, Deidara looks towards the source and his eyes right away land on the barn. That's where the saw is coming from and the longer he hears it, the lower that bat in his hand becomes. Is everyone confused? Of course they are.

But then he mumbles, "Sa…so..ri?" As soon as the name was called, the sawing stops and then there really does become absolute silence for only a short moment. His azure eyes roll up and he stumbles back.

"Deidara!" Naruto calls before rushing behind him. Itachi gets up as well but the spiky hair blonde catches Deidara first and gently lowers him down to the ground. The younger Uchiha kneels before his friend and checks his condition; as much as he can.

Forget past anger. Forget grudges. Naruto asks the conscious man before him, "Is he going to be alright?"

After a few basic checks, checking for pulse and breathing, he responds, "I believe so."

"What on earth just happened?" Kabuto asks, now sounding really upset. "Why the hell was Deidara trying to kill all of us?"

Then Fugaku accuses, "It's him! He's the murderer!"

"Don't be absurd," Itachi instantly denies, not even bother looking at the head of his family. "He has an alibi for all three murders."

"T-Three?" Mikoto asks, her voice sounding very frightened by her son's words.

With a softer voice, he announces, "Kisame is dead. Drowned." Tears well up in the female Uchiha's eyes and she leans against the body in her grip; begging for comfort and closure.

Hearing her sobs, Itachi decides to ignore his parents to observe more of Deidara's condition. At the moment, the long hair blonde looks exhausted and almost asleep in the teenager's arms; with his head leaning against the shoulder and his arms limp beside him. Looking at the bat, Itachi has half a mind to take that bat away in case the blonde decides to become violent again. But so far everything he touches, he _sees_ something. Sure by some miracle that last vision he saw of Orochimaru helped him out five minutes ago but he might not be so lucky next time. He still doesn't understand it himself why he gets these images and no one else. As far as they know, Itachi's either been hallucinating, acting paranoid, and he faints for no entire reason. His mind needs to be clear, or he won't ever understand what's going on. He can't have visions of the possible past distract him from figuring it out. But would the next vision give him the biggest clue he needs to solve this mystery? That's what the other half of his mind is telling him.

"Hm…" Deidara lets out, his eyes now shut tight and his face crouching in pain. Almost as if he's seeing a nightmare. He captures everyone attention as he softly begins to twitch from whatever it is he's seeing right now. "Hm…Danna…" Then his head turns to the side and gives Naruto a full view of his face. But while he sees that, Itachi sees something else.

Right after hearing that name, Itachi hears _CRASH_ and instantly looked around to where it could be coming from. It sounds so close, like it's in this room, but there's nothing.

"_Uuuuaaaaggghhh!"_

Then he hears someone screaming in frustration as more destruction noises are created.

_**Crash, crash**_

_**BOOM**_

_**Thub, thub**_

Now the noises are giving him another headache. He raised one hand up to his head as a way to hold it together but what he doesn't realize is one hand going to his neck and scratching it. "Itachi?" Naruto calls, curious and a bit concern of the Uchiha's sudden change in behavior when he saw it at the corner of his eyes. The Uchiha heir doesn't respond. Only tries to deal with the throbbing in his head and unconsciously scratching his throat.

'_What on earth is wrong with him?'_ Kabuto wonders, also seeing this. Itachi's parents can see this too but while Mikoto is also one of the confused, Fugaku's eyes widen and his lips became a straight solid line. He's seen that before.

"G…Get…get out of my head!" Itachi exclaims in a whisper. He begins to lean to the side unintentionally and the hand that was holding his head reaches for the ground so he can have support. His hand lands over Deidara's and that's the hand that's still holding onto the bat. As soon as his hand touched that smooth, cold metal surface, it happened again with his eyes widening and his mind once again going somewhere else.

* * *

His mind didn't go anywhere. His sight blacks out and all he could hear are words.

* * *

"_Why?"_

"_Why did you say no? Don't you have any idea to how much I love you? What I would do for you?"_

"_I love everything about you. You're childish outbursts, that stupid thing you say at every sentence, you're strong belief in just about everything that's around you, your unending desire to take care of everything, your constant attempts to show you're the best at anything, your cocky laugh, your overconfident smile; everything. But am I not enough?"_

"_Is that it? Am I not good enough to be by your side? To hold you when you're in distress? To make you laugh when you're feeling down? To be cared for when you think I need it? Am I insufficient?"_

"_Do you love Itachi that much?"_

_**ZZZZzzzzz**_

And then silence. No more words were spoken as that saw hisses in that blank space in Itachi's mind. It didn't take too long at all till he could hear the sound of flesh being ripped and sawed. The clean sawing noise has now become tainted with the sound of a body being cut to pieces. The sound of blood splattering on surfaces and the sound of limps falling to the ground as they become dismembered. Maybe this time it's a good thing that Itachi can't see what's going on, but isn't it more horrifying to only hear what's going on and to leave your imagination to picture what's happening?

What's worst? Looking or not looking?

"_Father, mother, I'm gay."_

That…is not Sasori.

"_**Gasp**__."_

"_Don't be ridiculous. What kind of trash are you spouting out now, boy?"_

"_It's not trash, old man. I really am gay. I don't like girls, nor am I attracted to them. All they are is a pain in my ass with their constant bickering, their fan-clubs, their fake smiles, their high-pitchy voices, and their overconfidence that they're the world's princess. I'm sick of it! I prefer guys. I like dicks, I like anal, and at least guys I understand!"_

"_S-Sasuke, how do you know you like such things?"_

"_Oh jeeze. I had sex, mother, and…I liked it."_

"_You are just a child, boy! You are young and confused. Claiming to be something you're not and experimenting does not prove anything!"_

"_Not even when you're in love with someone? There is someone I love, __father__ and he's a guy!"_

"_Be quiet, Sasuke! You're frightening your mother with this garbage. Now apologize immediately and forget about this 'lover' of yours! Break it off with him!"_

"_The person who I had sex with was not the person I'm in love with! It was…someone else… But I do love that person dearly. The person I'm in love with is-"_

And then it just cuts off, just like that. Interrupting that declaration is the sound of pounding. Very similar to the ones earlier before but these sound softer; like the door being pounded on is extremely thick.

"_Eeeyyyaaa! Let me out! Please!"_

"_Fugaku, stop this now!"_

"_This is for the best, Mikoto."_

"_Please, let me out! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Don't leave me in here!"_

"_No, this has to stop! You can't keep locking our child away like this."_

"_If I release him now, he won't be fixed completely."_

"_F-Fixed…?"_

"_Yes. Our son is sick, Mikoto. Don't you see that? That's why he acts the way he does and he even has the audacity to claim something he's not."_

"_But what if he is? I mean… it's not an illness or anything."_

"_Shh, shh, shh. Listen to me, Mikoto. I'm not just doing this for the sake of the family name. I'm doing this for him. Don't you desire for him to have a happy life with a wife and a family? Doesn't every mother wish for such things for their children?"_

"_Yes, but this is…"_

"_This is the only way. Trust me, Mikoto."_

"_Let me out! Let me out! Let me out! Otou-sama! Kaa-san! NII-SAN!"_

* * *

"Itachi! What are you doing?"

Looking at the leaning man before him, Naruto has a clear view of Itachi now scratching his neck with both hands; his fingernails making bigger, darker red marks on his ivory skin; very, very close to tearing up that skin. His satin eyes are wide till his pupils almost look like dots and they appear entirely unfocused to what's around him; even when his eyesight 'returned' the second he heard his little brother calling for him. His mouth is open and he's panting in and out through it like he's having a very hard time breathing with the skin on his head beginning to feel damp and cold. He doesn't say anything. He only tries to breathe as every pairs of eyes are on him, unknowing of what to do.

They became too distracted to see another pair of eyes beginning to open.

Then Itachi's fingers scratch his skin faster and harder and now his hands appear as if they're twitching violently and uncontrollably. In fact, his entire body is beginning to look like that. Naruto lowers the man he's already supporting down to the ground and he goes up to the fidgeting one. "Itachi, stop that!" he commands, grasping the Uchiha's hands and pulling them away from their scratching post.

All that did was cause the Uchiha to collapse.

Seeing his body doing that, Naruto loses grip on Itachi's hands and he watches as the Uchiha heir collapses on the ground on his side and his jerking continues. His eyes are still wide, his teeth become clench together, he starts grunting, and his hands find his neck again, continuing their scratching.

"Itachi!" Mikoto screams, the worried mother that she is as she watches her son go into spasm right before her eyes.

Itachi's body moves from its side to lying on his back. His fingernails still continue to dig at his skin as his back arches up, his legs pushing against the floor and sliding, and drool dripping out from the corner of his mouth. At the moment, no one knew what exactly is going on but there is one thing that Naruto knows.

"We gotta keep his hands away from his throat! Kabuto, help me pin him down!"

As Naruto grasps the Uchiha's hands, he pulls them away with all of his strength and pins them to the ground. Itachi's grunts became louder through his gritted teeth and his back arches up some more. Anymore and he'll snap his back in two. So Kabuto reacts. He rushes in to help by pushing down Itachi's chest so his back wouldn't rise up anymore. Naruto has the arms and Kabuto has the chest, but Itachi still has his legs that are beginning to kick and trash like how Deidara's was before.

When Mikoto tried to get up so she could be of some assistance, Fugaku still has his grip on her and pulls her down. "Mikoto, don't!"

She turns to him and yells as she struggles, "Let me go, Fugaku! That's our son in pain right now! How can you expect me to just sit here and watch? How can you sit here and watch?"

He stands firmly as he says, "You can't go near him! Not in your condition!"

"Both of you, get off him!"

That wasn't Naruto or Kabuto or anyone of the parents. All four of them did look towards the voice and they see Deidara sitting up from the ground he's laying on and his attention is solely on the two trying to retraining Itachi's movements. The Uchiha continues his jerking, his grunting, and his kicking.

Kabuto asks, "What do you mean get off him?"

"Don't you see?" he replies, getting excited. "He's going through a seizure! Tonic clonic seizure!"

A seizure?

Quickly, Deidara goes to the three of them and he tells both men, "When someone is having a seizure, do not restrain them! That would only hurt them more!"

Not moving, Naruto tries to say, "But if I let go, he'll just scratch his neck some more! Look at him!" The long hair blonde takes a brief look at the neck and he too sees the scratch marks on him. As much as he should be surprised, shocked really, about them, there is an even more dangerous thing to worry about right now.

But the business man yells, "Besides, your seizure theory doesn't make sense! Does he look like someone who's having a seizure?"

"Just let him go, both of you! Trust me on this! I know what a seizure looks like, okay? But I just know that this is what it is right now! So back away!"

Both Naruto and Kabuto still looked reluctant to do that but there isn't a hint of deceit in Deidara's eyes so what can they do. Kabuto becomes the first to obey and then hesitantly, Naruto does the same. Like the teenager predicted, Itachi's hands return back to his neck and he starts scratching again as well as his back arches really high up. Deidara didn't waste any time. He calmly grasps one of Itachi's hands and lowers it to the side. Then he grasps the other one and raises it up so his elbow is at least above his head. Then he turns him to lie on the side and lifts the head up to rest on top his lap.

"Everything is going to be alright, un. It's alright," the blonde coos, grasping the hand above Itachi's head. Thanks to the body weight, he doesn't have to worry about the other one. Deidara is holding Itachi's hand for two reasons. One, to keep him from scratching and two, to show that he's here for him. "I'm right here, Itachi. You're going to fine. You're going to be fine, un."

Watching them, so many questions are bubbling in everyone's head. What in the world is going on and why is it surrounding Itachi? Starting from his strange behavior on the hike to now, it's almost like whatever's happening to him is getting worst and worst. A trick of the mind, hallucinating, possibly drowning, fainting, and now some kind of strange seizure? Why is this happening to him and to him alone? And why are other stranger things happening to everyone else before they die? Only now do they begin to see what's happening around them, but still through a very thick haze.

As all they can do is watch the Uchiha continue his jerking and listen to Deidara's sweet, comforting words, two other people are watching them. Two people who are standing just outside a broken window. One of them with blood splattered on almost every inch of their body and blood still dripping from its missing limps as the other has his bloodied hand pressed the broken glass. What both of them have in common besides their extra wide, staring gazes are how they're both staring at their most important person – the one having a seizure and the one comforting the one having the seizure.

"Deeeeeeiiiiidaraaaaaa…"

"Nii-san…"

**

* * *

**

Hooray! People are starting to be more aware! Finally! But poor Itachi…He has a seizure. I know that seizures don't have the victims kicking or anything like that. They're mostly just jerking around, drooling, or they lose control of their bladder and bowl. But hey! This isn't a natural seizure.

**Now my winners from my last question are… 'Hitoko-sama', 'Sasuke-Fan-723', and WraithReaper'. Thank you, you three for always reviewing for this story. I greatly appreciate and love them all! Now you three can vote for whatever story you want in my 'Which ItaSasu Story is Next' and Sasuke-Fan-723! I hope that answers your question on why Orochimaru was attacking Itachi in his delusions and Sasuke shot him. Or at least half of it was answered…-shrugs-**

**My next question is…are the ghosts really trying to kill their loved ones?**

**Now this question is going to last for two chapters so you can take your time and vote either after reading this chapter or after reading the next one. See you all soon!**


	15. We Can't Stay Here

**A/N: Oh halleluiah, I am DONE! Oh my gosh, I cannot believe how long that took me! Guys, I am so, so sorry for taking so long to update! I was up against every writer's worst and powerful enemy; writer's block. That was so freakin irritating! Ugh! Finally I got inspiration, mostly due to an incident that happened at school but anyway, and I wrote this chapter for you! Now I feel like this chapter is a piece of crap but please believe me when I said that I tried…I'm am so sorry. Please forgive me…**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters. Nor do I own the story. Oh how I wish I did so I can know what the heck happened to Itachi and Sasuke, but no. That belongs to Kishimoto. Thank you all who have reviewed and I apologize again for the slow updates. For those who didn't vote yet, this is your last chance. Good luck and please enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 13: We Can't Stay Here

"We can't stay here. It's too dangerous, un," Deidara declares. He got everyone's, who is in the living room, attention when he said that. Kabuto is the only one looking at him like an idiot.

"State the obvious, Deidara. We already know that."

But Deidara emphasizes, "No, you don't get it. We seriously need to get out of here before someone else dies, un."

Yet, Kabuto responses, "Deidara, we know that this place is dangerous and we know that we have a serial killer walking around, killing everyone. However, I am starting to have second thoughts about that since you tried to kill all of us." The blonde glared at him this time for that but he also grimaced when he mentioned that.

After Itachi's body finally stilled, which took what felt like a very long and agonizing minute, the Uchiha looked like he was really exhausted. Deidara helped him up and spoke gently to him as he slowly came back to consciousness but it wasn't too long after he said something that he fainted again. Were there people freaking out again? Of course; a mother and a long haired worried blonde. People don't usually faint after having a seizure and Deidara was checking for any signs of a concussion but nothing. It was like Itachi only fainted and the seizure didn't affect him in the slightest. With Naruto's help, since Kabuto wants to be a stubborn ass, Deidara decided to carry Itachi back to his room and made sure that the Uchiha heir would be comfortable for when he wakes up, hopefully; which might be an hour or two from now. Naruto was a bit uneasy about leaving Itachi alone when the long hair blonde said they need to be with the others for a discussion but Deidara assured him that Itachi will not be killed. The spiky blonde didn't understand it but at the moment, he doesn't argue. One third of his brain is still trying to get over the shock of yet another death of their family, the other third trying to understand why Deidara was suddenly so violent, and the final third pondering about what Itachi said before he blacked out.

"_Stop showing me these things. I'm sorry so please…stop it…"_

Mikoto steps in, pleading the business man, "Kabuto-kun, please. Deidara-kun would never want to hurt us. He saved my son's life. Stop suspecting him."

Fugaku tells her, "Don't stand up for him, Mikoto. You know very well he does." Then the he glares at the older blonde and Deidara would have glared back, if a white bandage on Fugaku's head didn't haunt him.

"For once, I agree with Fugaku," Kabuto speaks up, "and I'm sorry, Mikoto-san. But I still suspect your son for all of the murders that have happened as of late. He was still the last person to see Madara alive, before we got here and after the black-out. Kisame's story was too ridiculous to believe when the two of them left to check on the generator and Itachi was the last to see Kisame before we found him with his head in the tub."

Neither Mikoto nor Naruto could believe what was coming out of his mouth. He's really going to continue accusing his friend for the murders so easily without even a second thought of recognition? Of course, Deidara is baffled by this as well but instead of remaining stunned for so long, he decides to do what he wouldn't. Stand up for his friend.

"If you think you have this whole thing figured out then, why not explain to us what happened, un? Explain how Madara could be dead when Naruto clearly defended that Itachi didn't go down after his uncle until he went with us, un. Explain why Kisame would make up a bogus story about a simple thing as Itachi getting wet, AND explain how Kisame could have been murdered when the door was locked! I was on that floor when Kisame went to the bathroom and locked the door! Itachi didn't go near the bathroom till you were attacked by a non-native snake! Which ended up with you getting your ass saved by the very man you're suspecting, un!"

"Then what's your theory then!" he argues back, now standing up from his chair to face the blonde while the others just watch; unable to know what to say or do. "How can you theoretically and logically explain what's going on here? From what I can see, as probably the only sane person amongst us, all evidence points to your lover!"

_Pow_

As soon as Kabuto accused him using those two words, Deidara's fist collided with his cheek instantly. The hit did cause the business man to stumble a bit but he didn't fall to the ground. Turning to glare back at the long hair blonde, Kabuto didn't entirely expect the look on the guy's face. Deidara didn't just look pissed off as he's the one glaring extra sharp daggers at the silver haired man. His cheeks are flushed red and there are tears in his sapphire eyes. Kabuto only expected to see him angry and insulted. He didn't expect the man to be on the verge of tears or show so much hurt and guilt in those furious eyes.

"Shut up already. I am sick and tired of everyone assuming that I'm in love with Itachi! I just care for the guy, alright? He's my friend and he's deeply and emotionally hurt! I want to help him recover and _live_ again! Let me get one thing through that thick skull of yours, Kabuto! Even if I was in love with him, it would have been a lost cause from the very beginning since he cared for no one else more than his little brother! No one could ever come between them. They were inseparable and he was never more happy or alive than when he was with him. How could someone like me replace Sasuke like that? He was his reason to live as Sasori was to me. But you, everyone, and even that fucking idiot believed that I love Itachi!" By then his face is looking down at the ground and tears are rolling down his face one tear drop at a time. His fists are in tight balls and his body is shaking with his rage and his hurt.

Memories started to flash in his mind as he mentioned all that. He could still remember all those times when they were whole as if they were yesterday but felt like they were decades ago. He could still remember the times when they were all together hanging out in diners or any random spot in Konoha and how he would notice whenever Itachi was with them, he hardly showed any emotion on his doll-like face. But with Sasuke, Deidara would always notice the smiles that would tug on the older Uchiha's lips, the spark of joy and happiness in his eyes, and how his attitude would change almost dramatically when he was talking to the boy. It would always annoy the blonde on how easily Sasuke had it to reveal Itachi's inner self. A self he wasn't so willing to easily share with everyone unless his little brother was there. That's why he would get angry with him all the time. Because he wouldn't open up to anyone else but Sasuke.

Deidara could also remember how he himself would spend hours arguing with Sasori on whose art was better and nearly about everything in life. But the one argument he would remember more clearly than all the others was their last one. The one argument he would wish more than anything to go back to and change so it could have ended differently. Maybe with Sasori not going to his workshop or Deidara going after him instead of waiting in their apartment to give the red-head the chance to cool down. So many possibilities, all far too late to try.

Nobody still couldn't say anything. They could only stare, listen, and wait as Deidara calmed himself down long enough for him to speak again. Even Kabuto mysteriously felt like listening. "I really wish Sasuke didn't die not only because of what his death had done to Itachi but because then Sasori and I wouldn't have gotten into that ridiculous fight and he would still be alive. None of this would have happened if he was still alive…un…"

Deidara didn't allow himself to sob after he said that. There are people here who he does not want to show weakness to. The tears just came on there own out of his own frustration and guilt. He couldn't stop them to save his pride. So he bites his lip to keep his cries in and he tries to hold back any more tears from falling. Another reason why he wants to stop is because this is not the time for tears.

After a few generous moments of silence, the long hair blonde has himself composed. He takes a quick breathe in before breathing out. "Alright. This is not the time for that, un. What we all need to do besides screaming and yelling at each other is figure out how to get the hell out of here, un."

Kabuto resisted the urge to say, 'You're the one screaming.' After what he just heard and saw, he kept this one comment to himself.

Mikoto asks, "B-but how? Juugo-san said that the road was blocked by a landslide. We can't leave and it's too dark to try and do anything."

"We gotta try something before we all end up six feet under, un. We're surrounded by trees so there are tons of trails we can try. Surely one of our small cars can fit through or we're just gonna have to walk, un."

"Absolutely not!"

All eyes turn to Fugaku after he shouted that. For a moment, it looked like Mikoto was going to say something but he tightened his hold on her and held her in a more protective grip. "The dirt road takes at least an hour to walk through and several hours more till we reach the closest town. I refuse to allow Mikoto to endure such a tiring journey."

"Fugaku, I'm fine!" Mikoto finally gets to say, gaining the attention now. "It's not me you should be worried about, anyway. Our son just had a seizure and is unconscious in his room! He's the one who you should be worried about 'enduring a tiring journey', not me!"

Possibly for the hundredth time today, Fugaku is stunned to hear his wife spoke out like that. She never did before and now she's screaming and raving at him like an agitated lawyer. Or even, almost like the mother lion that was sleeping deep within her has finally woken up and she's angry.

"She's right."

When that was said, the most surprising thing about it was Kabuto was the one who said it. He adjusts the glasses on his face and explains rationally, "I'm only saying this out of respect for the rest of you but if you strongly believe that Itachi is not the murderer and you want to get out of here, then he is in no condition to travel long distances at this time. We also don't know what route exactly to take or if it's big enough to take a car."

Intensively listening to all of this, Naruto asks, "Then what are you suggesting? That we split up into two groups and while one group stays here, the other goes off to find a route?" Deidara stiffened when he heard that plan as Kabuto raises a brow in his small surprise that Naruto came up with that. He always thought he was as dumb as Kisame.

He replies, "That's one idea."

"Absolutely not!"

Surprising thing number three: That was Deidara.

Before anyone else could speak, he quickly says, "It is too dangerous for any of us to be alone, let alone split up, un!"

Kabuto asks him, "Then what do you supposed we do? As someone who cares so dearly for his 'friend', I would think you would be more considerate of his condition. Also, what you're saying right now doesn't make any sense since you just left him upstairs alone!"

"I'm not worried about him getting killed any time soon! As far as I know, he's the safest out of all of us, un!"

"What in the world are you talking about? You sound just as impractical as that moron, Kisame! What's next? Are you going to tell me that ghosts exist now?"

When he said that, Deidara's body tenses up again, his eyes narrowed, and his mouth became a straight line. He didn't say anything right away like the rest of them expected. That would mean…

"You cannot serious?" Kabuto questions, seeing this reaction with the upmost surprise and confusion.

Like he's getting irritated with himself, Deidara huffs and groans before he answers, "I don't know, un! I'm having a hard time believing it myself, alright? All I know is when I…" he struggles to say this, "…when I…_wasn't_ myself-"

"Possessed?" Naruto asks.

"If we're talking about ghosts, I supposed, un. But when I was…'possessed', the…_thing_ that was inside of me was really, really dangerous, un. Demented, violent, out of control, unwavering about their desires, and…bloodthirsty."

* * *

Opening the attic door, Madara entered without hesitation. He didn't need any lights for the dawning sunlight came peaking in through the small window in the top right corner. If anyone was locked in here, that small window would be the only proof that another world exists instead of this dark, dark abyss. It would be a sign of hope, promise, and belief for the unlucky person locked up in here. So unlike the cold confidents of Sasuke's punishment room.

_Madara walked in without a world and hardly even a sound. He traveled down the stairs of the attic without a hint of emotion on his healthy, visible face. No curiosity, no observation, no lightness, no anger, no concern, no fear; just nothing. As if commanded by some silent voice, he moves towards the generator at the other side of the room. With only a few feet away to separate both him and the electric initiator, he stands there, staring at the empty spot next to it. Only then did emotion appear on his face. The tenderness in his eyes and the longing and desire that softly glows within them, he says only one word._

"_Izuna…"_

_His little brother's name._

"_Onii-iiiiiii-san…"_

_Right before his eyes, in that little spot he's been staring at, two hands come reaching out from the darkness of the shadows. Two deathly pale hands with only blood stained on two fingers on the right hand – no where else. They both reach for the unsurprised man. In fact, Madara looks at these gruesome hands with nothing but pure love and adoration._

"_I know, Izuna."_

_Without a moment to lose, Madara kneels before that spot and with those hands still reaching for him crocked fingers, he says, "I know what needs to be done."_

* * *

"_Itachi-san? Kisame-san? Are you in here?"_

_No response came from this pit of darkness known as attic. That's the first thing Juugo noticed. There's darkness. No light or anything to help the human see what he's doing or where he's going. This confuses him as he enters in more and starts traveling down the stairs. He'll let the light of the house reveal as much as it could of what's in this dark, dark room. In this place as the big man walks down, he keeps his ears open for any sounds at all besides his own steps. But there are none. There are no voices at all in this place, or any sounds at all to indicate that people are moving in this stilled darkness. It's just empty._

"_Itachi-san? Kisame-san?"_

_**Creeeeeekk**_

_**Click**_

_Hearing the door closed, Juugo looked back up from the bottom of the stairs but he couldn't find the door. All he sees is a wall of darkness. Now he's alone in the attic with only a small window to let in as much moonlight as it possibly could and a body._

_Normally when someone is now alone in a room where there's supposed to be two other people with him, he would call for them and ask them to stop messing around because this is the oldest, lamest joke in high school. But Juugo knows for a fact that not even Itachi would allow Kisame to do such a childish thing. This could only mean two things. One, Kisame and Itachi are not in here and now Juugo is alone in this dark, dark room with the murderer, or two, Kisame and Itachi are not in the room and Juugo is alone in this dark, dark room with…_

"_Kimimaro?"_

_Suddenly the air in this isolated room doesn't feel so alone anymore. Even though the big orange head man is in a room with a dead body, he feels a different presence in here. Someone…moving._

"…_Juugo…?"_

_The desperation, hopeful look could be seen on Juugo's face if anyone with night vision could see. He held his breathe and before he could say anything, he hears the voice of his departed beloved again but in a different area of the room._

"_Where are you? I can't find you."_

_Juugo quickly responds, now looking frantically around the room, "I'm right here, Kimimaro."_

"_Where?" Then the voice moves. "I can't find you!" It moves again. "Where are you? Juugo!"_

"_I'm right here! I've…" Juugo stops looking. It was a hopeless attempt from the start. You can't find something in a room you can't even see your own hand in, but he doesn't stop because of that. "I've missed you so much. I knew it was you on that road. I saw you but I wasn't so sure. Now I know. Please…forgive me for running off. I should have stayed but I…Kimimaro, I… please believe me when I say this. I love you. I love you so much."_

"_Really?"_

_This time when Juugo heard him, Kimimaro's voice is right behind him. So very, very close and a sharp, cold blade points right over his heart on his chest. The holder, a deathly white hand covered in mud and pieces of dirt under those bloody detached fingernails._

"_Would you love me, even if I'm dead?"_

* * *

"_Would you…love..me?"_

_Suigetsu has his hands on both of sides of Kisame's face but after he spoke one hand smoothes its way to the back of the head, tracing his finger tips gently against his skin._

_Kisame softly spoke, "Suigetsu…" as he never breaks eye contact with his wide eyed departed love. Not even the movement of Suigetsu's hand caught his attention. Or when, Suigetsu used his head as leverage to help him move even closer to the shark man's face. Heck! Kisame didn't even change his expression. He still looked like he was in a trance._

"_Say it…Say that you love me," Suigetsu hushes to him as he strokes a cheek tenderly. His lips are only centimeters away from Kisame's. In a way, those cold-blue lips could almost brush against Kisame's dyed blue ones. The hand behind the back then grips the hair and Suigetsu pleads again, his voice gentle and yet more forceful, "Please…say it…"_

"_I do. I love you, Suigetsu."_

* * *

Itachi's face cringed as he laid on his bed, resting. It was just like all of the other times but now he's seeing the time of death for those who recently died. He's seeing them as if he's watching a dream play before him but what are they supposed to mean? Why show him of all people such things? Even if they were true, how could they? How could Madara, Juugo, and Kisame spend their last moments of life with loved ones who died at least a year ago? How and why are the real questions here, with answers that need to be answered.

However as Itachi recovers from his seizure, there's someone else in the room.

_Creak_

_Creak_

_Creak_

With every footstep taken, the floor would softly creak from his weight. He took small steps but he creeped out of the corner of the room from the darkness. It didn't take long for him at all to arrive at the Uchiha heir's bed. For a moment, he stood there beside it; staring with wide onyx eyes filled with so much emotion.

"Nii-san…why…?"

He raises his blood covered hand and reaches for his sleeping brother.

* * *

"Ugh! I can't believe this!" Kabuto groans fiddling with his phone, again. Hearing him, Mikoto looks up from the floor in front of the couch she's sitting on at the frustrated business man.

She gently asks him, "Is there something wrong, Kabuto-kun?"

Not taking his eyes off his phone that's, once again, refusing to work, he answers, "There's just no service in this cursed place."

This sort of information doesn't surprise Mikoto in the least. Not that she only noticed how he was complaining about it before, but she knows that there would be no service in this summer home – not so long as the power is out. Even a smart man like Kabuto should at least know this. But there has to be a reason for him to act like this, right?

"Um, I don't mean to pry but who is it you're trying so hard to call?" This time, Kabuto looks at her with a questioning look on his face. "Is it for work?"

He didn't answer right away, like she suspected. He only stared at her through his big round glasses with black, observing beady eyes and caution mixed in them. Noticing that took Mikoto off guard, especially when he quickly tells her, "Yes, business." Then he stands up and walks away. "I'm going to find a hot spot."

As a way to try and stop him, Mikoto swiftly tries to say, "We really shouldn't split up like this. The murderer might try to come after you since you're alone."

Kabuto stops momentarily to answer, "If our serial killer strikes when each of us are alone, he would have killed Itachi long before Deidara checked on him before he left." And with that, he leaves the living room, leaving Mikoto alone in the candle lighted room.

The reason to why Mikoto and Kabuto are, were, the only people in the living room in the summer home is because, along with Itachi, they are the only residence inside the house – if the murderer is not included. Naruto, Deidara, and Fugaku left not too long ago to search for a way out of this place. Now here's the mouth-dropping part. Fugaku went with the two blondes to help find a way out instead of being the one to stay and 'comfort' his wife. The explanation for that is simple. Deidara told him to get off his lazy ass and to start contributing some effort into help finding their way out of here if he plans on wanting to live to see tomorrow, un. Deidara even put in the fact that if he's, suddenly, so concerned for Mikoto's well being, then he needs to help because having her stay another minute in this house is endangering her life. The blonde got all of his weak points, despite what he said about ghosts possibly existing and him actually being possessed by one. So why is Kabuto at the summer home and not also 'contributing' in their escape? It's because Mikoto needs protection and she needs someone who is not unconscious. Her son is obviously out of the picture and Kabuto is stronger than Deidara when it comes to self-defense despite his slight lacking in medical training in case something happens to Itachi_(I know that reality Kabuto is the real doctor, or evil scientist, here but bear with me on this one please)_. The fortunate part, for him anyway, is he can put all of his attention on his phone that is not going to get service any time soon, or so long as he's in the middle of nowhere. Still the guy is stubborn and he's stubborn for all the wrong reasons.

"Stupid woman," he mumbles under his breath. "Why can't she mind her own business?"

In the living room, Mikoto lets out a sigh now that she's alone. Being in this semi-dark room, it's a bit chilling and frightening. You don't know when the murderer is going to spring out and slit your throat or something. But it gives her time to think. Without Fugaku here and especially without any arguing, there is nothing but silence. Peaceful silence…

"What do I do?"

Now feeling like holding herself since she doesn't have a suspiciously concerned husband doing it for her, Mikoto wraps her arms around her stomach and bends over slightly. Her fragile body quivers slightly from her own thoughts and emotions as she wonders out loud, "What do I do now? Onii-sama…"

_Click_

_Creeeaaakkk_

Mikoto's head snaps up when she first heard it. The _click_ took her by surprise but that long _creaking_ sound is making her feel dread in the pit of her guts.

"Kabuto-kun?"

No answer. Just total silence.

The murderer?

The very thought of him being here, possibly here to take her life, it scared Mikoto out of her mind, of course. If someone was alone in a semi-dark room and they just heard a suspicious sound, anyone would feel terrified for their lives. They would quiver in fear and feel like screaming and yelling for their lives but are too frozen and stiff to do that. But Mikoto on the other hand, she doesn't do that. It is expected of her to do that since her husband could easily make her hush up and stay perfectly still, but not now she doesn't. Don't get her wrong, right now she's terrified. She's just not going to sit here and be the victim.

Slowly and as quietly as she could, Mikoto stands up from the couch. The sound was coming from the hallway. So the murderer plans to just hideaway and attack when the only Uchiha female least expects it? Not this one.

Why is Mikoto so brave all of a sudden? This murderer killed two of the biggest men that came to the summer house and he even killed her brother, someone who she knows to be rather strong when the time calls for it. What chance does she have against someone like that? She has none, but she will not die. Not here and not now.

There's the bat that Itachi and Deidara used leaning against the counter between her and the hallway. Silently, she walks towards it and grasps it in her quivering but determined grip. As she nears the entrance of the hallway, only one thought passes through her mind, one thought to give her the courage to face this murderer, one thought that gives her the strength to hold that bat in her hands, one thought that motivates her to do the one thing she could never do in the past…

Protect.

"Forgive me, Sasuke."

Then like a fearless fool, she leaps in front of the hallway with the bat ready in her hands to crush the skull of the son of a bitch that killed so many children and threatened her family. But when she stepped out, there's no one there, only the opened closet door. Could that mean that the murderer is in there then?

Like how she crept to the hallway, Mikoto starts heading towards that closet door. It's at least a room over to where she's at. It's not a far walk but every step that she takes, her heart just beats ten times more than it did before. She's not a complete fool. She is terrified and the murderer could come up to kill her the second she reveals herself. But this is what a mother does, right? Protect the children?

"_From the kind and gentle part of your heart, I know that you wanted to say something but you keep holding yourself back. You need to stop that or you'll lose more than you can bear…"_

She can't have that. She can't lose anymore.

With that final thought, Mikoto steps in front of the closet like how she stepped in front of the entrance to the hallway. But just like last time, there is nothing before her. Nothing but brooms, mops, and other random objects like umbrellas, shoes, and coats. There's no one in there.

'_What in the world?'_ Mikoto lowers the back and steps into the closet, looking around for anything out of the ordinary but there is none.

There's no one in the closet and there was no one in the hallway. It couldn't be Kabuto. He wouldn't even think of doing something like this to get Mikoto all worked up. He's too frustrated enough to pull on this sort of prank. So then… what?

"You're a ssslutty little whore, aren't you?"

Mikoto didn't stand a chance. As soon as those words were said to her from behind, she felt ice cold, hard hands grip her shoulders and then shove her further inside before closing the door behind her.

_SLAM_

Kabuto heard it from right outside the backdoor. He was out there to see if he can get outside reception but as usual, to no success. Before he could curse about it, he heard that _slam_.

"Now what?" he mutters as if it were a curse. He puts his phone away in his pocket and rushes inside, just in case to be safe.

But as soon as Kabuto passed the laundry room and came out into the open, he wished he didn't. There standing in front of the closet door, where the sounds of Mikoto yelling and pounding are heard from the other side, is a white person. Someone tall and lean like a slithering reptile clad with a white coat; the extremely rare white snake. Or like a character from a horror film with the white garments and long black hair; messy and tangled like a wild animal. Skin, pale as the frozen snow on a stormy winter night. What made this character so frightening at first thought is by how strikingly white it was in this dark house. The white caught him off guard and for the moment, Kabuto would have instantly thought it was just the actual murderer, dressed up like that to show how much of a psychopath he really is. But there is something strangely familiar about him. The body shape was like a ghost from the past and even though the hair can't really be seen but can be identified as a dull black color, he knows that shade. Everything about this figure standing in front of a locked closet is familiar. But…how is it familiar?

Then without warning or any sounds coming from Kabuto, the head of this familiar person snaps towards him and there, Kabuto saw the answer to his questions. The questions he really wished were never answered. With wide golden eyes staring at him and long, sinister, and playful smirk plastered on his narrow snake like face, Orochimaru looks happy. Truly and unconditionally happy.

"Kabuto…I'm ssssssooo happy…you came at lassssssttt…."

* * *

Sasuke reaches for the unconscious man lying on the bed. From his height and the height of the bed, he couldn't reach or touch his brother without leaning over. Eventually, he sits on the older Uchiha brother's bed, causing it to lightly dip and his hands gently press against Itachi's stomach. Itachi didn't stir at first but then when the dead Uchiha boy climbs a little more on top of the bed, with his legs on both sides of his brother, and Sasuke's hands begin to slowly slide up, feeling the toned hardness of his chest, Itachi stirred. He didn't wake up, but it could be shown on his face that he recognized this touch. Those bloodstained hands continue to move upwards until Sasuke could feel the smoothness of his older brother's skin as his hand reach for the neck.

"Why…?" he asks, his voice whimpering and on the verge of tears. "Why did nii-san…" His fingers wrap around his neck and his thumps light press against Itachi's airway. Then he begins to squeeze. "Why did nii-san come here?"

* * *

**Oh boy! Orochimaru has appeared in front of Kabuto and Sasuke is chocking Itachi while he's unconscious. What is to happen next? –gasps as if horrified-**

**But how was the chapter? A piece of crap like I thought it would be or was it semi-okay? Until next time guys and I shall try my best to hurry it up! Bye-bye!**


	16. Shouldn't Have Come Here

**A/N: Hi guys! Okay before you read this chapter, I need to tell you that I am really, really sorry! I know that I told all of you that this is the chapter where your game question will be answered but this chapter was getting too much events happening in one chapter! So I cut it! I am really, really sorry and I swear to whoever is up in the sky, extremely disappointed in me right now, that the next chapter will have your answer! I love you all for putting up with me and I extremely hope you all can forgive me! Maybe you might like this chapter or maybe not. Who knows.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. Kishimoto does and I really hope that he updates soon so that we all can figure out where the heck Sasuke and Itachi are! I'm getting impatient! But I'm understanding. After all, we all have problems updating. It's just the irony that's killing me. Thank you all who have reviewed and played my game. I love you all and you all are what keeps me going on finishing these stories. Thank you and please enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 14: Shouldn't Have Come Here

_As soon as Itachi's back hits the floor, he doesn't have time to do anything else besides cringe at the small pain of his back before hands grab his neck. With his little brother on top of him, the boy's hands grip tighter and tighter; practically squeezing the air right out of him like squeezing a lemon._

"_Why?" he screams. "Why did you leave me? Huh? NII-SAN!"_

_Itachi isn't able to answer. How can he? Sasuke has an extremely tight grip on his neck that not only prevents him from speaking, but also prevents him from breathing. In truth, it's amazing that the boy hasn't broken his neck yet with the type of grasp he has. Itachi started to gasp for air the moment his little brother started screaming at him._

_Compared to this younger Uchiha, Itachi could easily shove Sasuke off of him; despite his losing air and strength. Just grab the wrists of the hands that clasp over his neck and shove the boy off. Then pin him to the ground to calm him down of his fits. He's stronger than his baby brother. He could do it, but there is only one thing stopping the older Uchiha from doing just that._

_This isn't the first time it happened._

_Sasuke would all of a sudden start throwing extreme tantrums; rather it would be fear or anger, and when it's anger, Sasuke would start throwing things or attack the first thing nearest to him. A.K.A., his older brother. He would attack and try to wring the living air out of him but he never finishes it. He would only squeeze and squeeze until his anger dies down._

_At this moment, Itachi is not just lying there, accepting the suffocation. His legs push and slide against the floor beneath him and his own hands would be gripping onto Sasuke's wrists just in case the boy is going too far; like so many other times. He would be panting and sweating from the lack and desperate need for air. But he would not raise a hand against his little brother. He would not act unless he absolutely needed to. At this moment, he only lays there, gasping and wheezing, as he accepts what's being done to him._

_Then it begins to rain._

"_Why…."_

_Sasuke's grip begins to loosen. Right when Itachi was about to reach the limits how much of this he could humanely take, he feels the sign of his little brother ending his ordeal land on his face like the soft, gentle landings of rain. They're cold and their small. Despite how warm they actually are from having been dripped down from a warm face, they feel like cold, sharp needles to Itachi's touch. He knows that when he opens his eyes after having them closed from the forceful grip on his neck, he will find the source of the rain._

_He would see his little brother crying over him with those tragic, betrayed, and pain-filled eyes. Those eyes that used to hold such life and amusing joy within them, would instead be filled with emotions that stabbed Itachi's heart deeper and sharper than any blade possibly forged._

"…_why…nii-san…? I thought…"_

_Sasuke's hands remove themselves from Itachi's neck. Then they leaned their palms against the floor to keep him up, until they would grow weak and then he would be leaning on his brother as if begging for comfort. His head against Itachi's chest and those arms doing the same with his hands gripping the air tightly between their fingers._

"_I thought nii-san…" And his sobs would be the only sound between them next. He wouldn't say anything after that. He never did._

_Even though Sasuke's body language is just pleading for his big brother to hold him and tell him that everything is going to be alright, Itachi didn't move from his lying position. His arms didn't rise up to wrap around the weeping boy and hold him close and his head didn't lift up to see Sasuke better. Hardly anything moved besides Itachi's eye lids opening and closing and his chest rising up and down to breathe._

_He just didn't deserve it. Despite his own desires, he couldn't bring himself to do it for what he's done. For putting his beloved little brother through hell after what he did to him. Itachi believed he didn't deserve to be the person who could bring Sasuke's smile back from the depths of his substandard mind. He didn't deserve to be anything to the boy but the object of his anger, hatred, and frustration. Whatever punishment or attack Sasuke gives him, he will accept without complain or struggle. When he'll look in the mirror, he would stare at the newly revived red marks on his neck not only guilt and sorrow, but with acceptance and understanding. He has already long before done that._

_However, lying there on the ground with your precious person on top of you crying their heart out, it made Itachi want to cry out in his pain as well._

* * *

Sasuke tightens his grip on Itachi's neck. Squeezing and squeezing till his brother's pale complexion started to turn purple from lack of air. His mouth is open and he's gasping for as much air as he could in his body's reaction and strong desire for air. Like how he used to, Sasuke doesn't see this. The look in his angry eyes, the gritting of his teeth, and his skinny clenching fingers; that is all that can describe this poor departed soul. There is no remorse or realization to what he's even doing to his older brother. He's just upset and what he does when he's upset is strangle Itachi.

Even when Itachi's hand has unconsciously found its way to the dead boy's arm.

It rose up to the short sleeve of Sasuke's dark navy blue T-shirt and he clenches onto it while the other finally rises up to the boy's chest; only to feel that cold, damp spot on his shirt. At this point, it was hard telling rather Itachi is awake or not. His eyes cannot open for the pain is too much, but the expression changed from calm troubled to painful resistance; and his legs begin to step on the bed but then slide on the sheets under him. The comforter that's over him looks like hills that would rise up and then deflate as his legs trash around. Thanks to Sasuke's weight, it's the only reason why that comforter hasn't been kicked off the bed yet.

Then quickly and without care, Sasuke removes his hands from Itachi's neck and one of them covers the older Uchiha's eyes as he gasps for the air his lungs burned and ached for. He coughs and wheezes for more, but his lungs would burn just as much when he takes in too much.

"Shouldn't have come here."

Hearing that, Itachi stopped trying to breathe. His heart skipped a beat and then restarted at a much faster pace. That voice! It couldn't be, could it? It's not possible!

"Sa-"

But he couldn't finish. Right when he was going to call out his brother's name to know if it's really him or just his own imagination, his lips are covered with another pair of lips to silence him. Under Sasuke's ice freezing hand, Itachi's eyes widen when he feels his little brother's mouth against his own. For not reacting quick enough and for still being stunned, the older Uchiha was unable to do anything as Sasuke's tongue forced his mouth open and entered as soon as that simple, hard kiss was over. As the tongue roams and dominates the older mouth, Itachi could only moan in discomfort as he tastes his younger brother inside of him and feel that wet, fleshy organ moving around; it's cold, merciless, and very different to how Itachi remembers.

The living Uchiha was on the verge of desperately needing air again. Being dead, Sasuke could go on for as long as he wants; exploring every inch of his brother's mouth and three times more, and then forcing Itachi's own tongue to enter his so he could suck on it. But Itachi is still alive. He needs air to live and Sasuke is not giving him the chance to do that. The older Uchiha hasn't even fully recovered from when he was being strangled. Now he's suffocating from a kiss. To make things worst, Sasuke's other hand, not the one that is still keeping Itachi's vision in darkness, was against Itachi's cheek as he started to suck on the tongue, but then he drags his bloodied fingernails against the ivory skin; leaving deep scratches that drew blood as he goes by.

By the time he reaches the chin, Sasuke ends the deadly kiss and blood has already dripped down to Itachi's hairline. He could feel it dripping warmly and smoothly down his skin. Itachi only had a moment of breathe before his neck is grabbed and squeezed again.

"Nii-san shouldn't be here. Nii-san shouldn't be here. NII-SAN SHOULDN'T BE HERE!"

Then all at once, the hand that gripped Itachi's neck and the hand that was covering his eyes pull back. When the older Uchiha saw nothing before him, he also noticed that there is no weight on his lap and his bed is not dipped with any other weight but his own. His body moved on instinct. He quickly sat up and he reached for his baby brother.

"_Sasuke!_"

Having used the last bit of air he had before he could have gone unconscious, the Uchiha heir retracts his hand and uses it to cover his mouth as he coughs, gasps, and wheeze – his calling was weak and was hardly a whisper. Not worth answering.

Taking in deep and strongly desired breathes as his life depends on it. For a few silent minutes, that was all he did. His eyes burning with tears, his head throbbing, and his chest rising and falling with every breathe he took. He didn't want to take this long to get air back in his lungs. He wanted to call out to his brother again with a much stronger voice and hope with every fiber in his being, hope for more than anything he had ever hoped for since he 'died', his baby brother would answer. It was still highly improbable for him to actually believe he had heard his voice but now more than anything, he wants to see him.

He wants to see Sasuke one more time.

Forget the actuality that his brother is dead! Forget the reality that once people are dead, they're dead! They can't ever come back! None of that can explain what just happened or what's been happening ever since Itachi's been here! None of that matters anymore! All that matters is seeing Sasuke again.

Even if the boy really does want to kill him.

Though of course when Itachi looked around to look for him, he couldn't find him. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. He wasn't there.

Before Itachi had time to notice, his door swings open and then slams shut. He didn't notice the rushing footsteps running to his door. When he looked up to see, he sees Kabuto trying to frantically lock the door. His movements are sloppy yet desperate and the look on his face, he looks like he truly saw something traumatizing. Something adnormal…

_Click_

As soon as Kabuto finally got the door locked, he presses his back against it as if making sure that whatever he's trying to keep out stays out even if that…_thing_ tries to break down the door. All the while, Itachi gives him his full attention as the hand that was covering his mouth lowers down to his neck.

When the spiky white hair business man saw that the Uchiha is awake, the first thing that comes out of his mouth is, "What kind of sick parlor trick are you pulling here, Uchiha?" But the anger washes away from his face when he sees something the look on Itachi's face. He looks terrible; if it can all be described up into one word. He's completely out of breath, he's still panting as he's staring at Kabuto with blood-shoot eyes, there's some drops of sweat on the side of his face and on his brow, he's pale of color, and there's blood on his cheek from what looks like claw marks – deep claw marks.

"What the hell happen to you?" Kabuto asks, now shocked with the sight he sees before him.

Itachi didn't respond right away. At the moment, it looked like he was caught off guard with that question. He rubs his neck and it does feel sore like the aftermath feel of something that was nearly crushed and the skin does feel cold. Kabuto was confused by that choice of action but when Itachi removed his hand to his cheek, and cringe when just the fingertips lightly touch his wound, Kabuto didn't expect to see deep red marks, almost purple, around that well-defined neck. What on earth happened to the Uchiha heir when he was left alone?

"KKKKaaaaaaabbbbuuuutttooooo…"

The business man hardly had time to think or react to the echoing voice calling his name as two arms appear from both sides of his face from the door. To Itachi, it just looked like two arms emerged from the door and came reaching out for something. Kabuto's face instantly gain back its horror and he hastily pulled away from the door before those arms closed on him and would have wrapped around his head against the door. What shocked Itachi the most was those two arms looked bloodied with cuts on the palms and fingers and they were wearing sleeves that belonged to a white coat. Instantly, he knows exactly who that is.

Though before he could say or do anything, Kabuto by his side and grabs him by the arm. He pulls him off the bed and next thing Itachi realizes, he's standing in front of a window. "If you really have nothing to do at all with what's been going on, then get your ass out of the window!" the business man screams in a panic. He looks back at the door to see that the arms have disappeared but he knows that it's far too early to relax in safety. Seeing him like this, it's amazing the guy hasn't had a heart attack or died from fear. But it's understandable and Itachi sure as hell does not want to stay here either.

As ordered, the Uchiha heir climbs out of the window and jumps down to the ground, Kabuto hastily following after him. They maybe on the second floor of the house but for two grown men, the fall didn't kill them. Itachi landed effortlessly like a cat landing on its feet and Kabuto had less grace. But he was the most eager to start running as soon as his feet, or body, touched the ground. With nowhere else really in mind to go, Itachi follows him. Besides, separating with a spirit after you is not a good idea.

Neither is staying together.

* * *

"You are not driving my car through those trees!"

"Fugaku, for once in your goddamn life, shut your damn mouth, un!"

If Deidara has to hear one more complaint from this guy, then he's going to rob the murderer his fun in killing this guy. If he decides to kill him. While the blonde is behind the wheel with the Uchiha head sitting next to him in the passenger's seat, Naruto is sitting in the back, watching them both going at it. Though that's what half of his mind is doing. The other half is still thinking about Itachi, who they left in the care of his mother and the man who's accusing him of all of the strange stuff that's been happening to them.

There's no way that Kabuto's right. Naruto saw Itachi with his own eyes speaking with Madara when he was alive, as how it looked, and he didn't follow his uncle down into the basement after their little discussion – whatever they were talking about. Kisame is– _was_ one to make the most ridiculous stories but to make something up about how Itachi ended up soaking wet is highly unlikely; especially a story that was a bit too gruesome than his usual ones. Deidara does care for Itachi, there is no getting around that, so maybe it is plausible for him to cover up the Uchiha is he did murder Kisame. But Deidara isn't the kind to do that under any circumstances. Even pretend to be possessed by some evil spirit and go on a rampage against the heir's own parents.

However if any asks the Uzumaki, those two deserve to die more than anyone – many times over. A man who was abusing his children in all ways and a woman who did nothing but watch. Even if you never got your hands dirty, you're just as guilty as the culprit if you do nothing. Mikoto did nothing so she's just as bad as the man before the spiky blonde – arguing and complaining like he's king of a hill.

But Mikoto's been acting strangely, too; ever since they came back from their hike. She was with Madara when the children came back so maybe it was because she was able to spend more than a few seconds alone with her elder brother and he said something to her that all of a sudden gave her a rapid growth spurt on her spine. Now she's screaming and yelling at her husband like a mad woman and she's standing up for her family. But does that make up for her crimes?

Then there's Fugaku who's been very protective lately. Him asking for the five-star treatment is nothing new but to demand it not only for himself but for Mikoto as well? That's new. Not to forget, he just recently embraced the duty of protective, caring husband. Comforting his wife when she needed it and protected her when she was in danger. What could have changed him to act so out of character, according to Naruto? What's different now than then?

So many questions and no answers. The Uchihas really are the most mysterious and unanticipated people Naruto has ever met. Even when Sasuke was alive, he was the same way. Unlike the Uzumaki, who was unpredictable and predictable in his own way, Sasuke was like the same story but a whole different book. When he was…_sane_, he would do the most dangerous and riskiest things and wouldn't give a damn of the outcome afterwards. He didn't care who he troubled just so long as his actions work in his favor. However, that's not entirely true. There was only one person who he would sometimes care about bothering, even though he wouldn't admit it, and that was his brother.

Naruto is not entirely dense. He does know some things and the one obvious thing he mostly certainly knows is nothing could come between the Uchiha brothers. No girls or guys distracted their attention from each other. Not even their friends. They were their own best friend, in a manipulative and asshole-y way, and their most precious person. Then when Sasuke had that psychotic breakdown, all he wanted was his brother. Naruto still remembers when after they got his friend out of that house and he wanted to see him, Sasuke acted like he didn't recognize him. He was screaming and trashing like he thought the blonde was going to hurt him and he finally calmed down when Itachi came into the room. Naruto still remembers how the teen just clang on to him like a frightened child waking up from a terrible nightmare. It pained the spiky blonde to see his best friend at that state, but he couldn't possibly imagine what that must have been like to Itachi. All he could understand was losing someone more precious to you than life and that was Kyu-

_BAM_

Snapping Naruto right out of his thoughts and scaring the life out of him and the two adults in front, something landed on top of the car and from what the teen can see, whatever it is it's big and it must have been hard to make a dent as deep as it is. But strange to him is the dent's shape. It doesn't look like a tree dent.

"What the hell was that?" Naruto yelps first.

No one answered him. Both Deidara and Fugaku turn their heads to look over their shoulder to see that dent and the long hair blonde becomes the first to reach over towards the Uchiha head's side to reach for something.

"What are you doing?" Fugaku exclaims as soon as he noticed this 'imbecile' is invading his personal space.

Deidara yells back, glaring eyeballs of fury at him, "I'm getting a light, Fugaku! Do you think I even want to be within ten feet of you? Un?"

And there they go again. While the newly married couple will argue to their hearts' content, Naruto is going to get out first to see what the heck just landed on them. While Deidara is yelling at Fugaku and is trying to get the only flashlight they have, since the Uchiha has to have the best light they have, Naruto opens his door and steps out. But as soon as he turns around to look at what's on the car, a finger is right in front of his face, pointing at him.

"WAAAHH!" he screams, backing away and then falling on his butt. His scream stops the two arguing in the car and instantly makes them come out; Deidara with the flashlight in his hands.

Naruto's eyes never left the finger that scared the living daylights out of him. In fact, he's staring at the whole hand and the arm attached to it as it's sticking out from the edge of the roof and pointing somewhere. He didn't progress the thought that it's pointing towards something. All he knows is that there is a hand and there's a body on top of the car that just fell from the sky. However when Fugaku and Deidara finally came out, flashlight on and shining in every possible direction before hitting the body, it just disappeared. Naruto's sky blue eyes widen to the size of entrée plates when the arm just disappeared half a second before the light shined on it.

"What's going on?" Deidara asks, flashing the light everywhere and frantically looking what 'attacked' them.

Fugaku instead yells, "What the hell did this to my car? What were you screaming about, boy?" He turned his attention to the now quivering teenager on the ground and Deidara does the same – having had to walk around to shine the light on Naruto and see the shaking spiky blonde. When he saw him, Naruto looked like a frightened mess. Like his soul was literally scared out of his body; eyes widen, pupils small, and pure terror painted on his face.

In a much kinder tone, the long hair blonde asks, "Naruto, what happened, un?"

The boy didn't answer right away. He's still staring at the spot where he last saw the hand. He knows he saw it, though. He did not imagine it. He saw a hand that must have belonged to a body. If only he wasn't so freaked out that there was a hand right in front of his face, he should have looked at the face to see who it was; despite his lack of light. He could at least make out who it was, if he knows the guy. But no. All he got was a hand and the body disappeared before it could be identified.

"B-B-B-B-Body!" he shutters before yelling out what he's trying to say. "A body! There was a body…"

"A body?" Fugaku repeats, disbelief well heard in his voice.

But before he could make a comment about it, Diedara quickly asks, "Who was it?" The older adult turns his attention to the other blonde from his question. What kind of question was that?

Though to Naruto, it didn't bother him in the least. He shook his head slightly before answering, "I don't know…I don't…" And then his voice trailed off. When it did, he stopped staring at the spot and looked down at the ground, bringing his legs to his chest and holding them close. He leans his forehead against his knees and for a moment, it looks like he's crying. Deidara's surprise face also carried sympathy staring at the frightened boy, but Fugaku looks both skeptical and angry.

"What is wrong with you?" he snaps at the frightened teenager. Turning his attention to the Uchiha head, the long hair blonde glares poisonous daggers at him.

"What is wrong with _you_?" he yells at Fugaku. The Uchiha turns to him and Deidara snaps again, "Just shut up! You have no idea what it's like for us!" When he said that, confusion paints over the Uchiha's face. At this moment, Deidara doesn't care if he's not making sense. To him, and hopefully to Naruto, he is.

Fugaku doesn't understand. He doesn't understand how traumatizing it is for them. For those who lost something precious… Deidara understands why Naruto is like this because when Kyuubi fell, he landed on the roof of someone's car – broke his back, his neck, several of his ribs that punctured some of his internal organs, and one of his arms and legs were crushed to the point they acted like jelly. Naruto saw too much death before he lost his brother and that alone kept him on the edge of nearly having a psychiatric breakdown. He must have seen Kyuubi's body as they were removing it from the scene because when Deidara and the rest of them came to comfort the poor blonde, he was having a psychiatric breakdown. It took many and a lot to bring him back but the scars left behind are still there and they're still deep. Same as the rest of them…

Before he blows off again when obviously this is a serious situation, Deidara calms down and ignores Fugaku. He turns back to Naruto and asks, "What did you see, Naruto? I know you saw a body, but anything that stands out, un?"

To Fugaku, he's starting to think like Kabuto. What in the world are they talking about and why are they pretending like every supernatural and surreal thing that appears mean something when it doesn't? Everyone has completely lost their minds!

Naruto responds to that question. He lifts his head up and from the way his face is shining in the light, he was crying. A few tears, not sobbing. "A…a…" he struggles to say. "A…a…a…"

"Speak up!" Fugaku barks, causing the teenager to flinch from his voice.

Ugh! Doesn't this man know anything?

"What did I say?" Deidara yells, screaming at Fugaku. That startled the Uchiha head but the blonde is already ignoring him again and he says very nice and gently, "Go on, Naruto."

"A…a…a h-hand…" he answers, softly. "It was a hand…pointing."

"Pointing where, un?"

"Pointing…" Naruto lifts up one shaking hand and points towards the same direction as that hand. "…that way…"

Following that hand, and shining the light that way as well, Deidara and Fugaku look and they see nothing but the vegetation of the forest that surrounds them. However, that is not entirely true. In that direction is the summer house. Fugaku thought nothing drastic about it, only that the child has really gone insane. But Deidara on the other hand, he looks like he's looking at death right in the face.

"We have to go back, NOW!" he declares. He yanks the driver-side door open, turns off the flashlight and tosses it back into the car. "Naruto, get in the car!"

As if gaining some bit of his sane mind back, Naruto looks confused but he obeys as he crawls back to the car and goes in. Good thing he left the door open when he came screaming out.

Before Deidara sits back down, Fugaku goes, "Now hold on! What the in the world is going on?"

Really, they don't have time for this!

"Just get in the car, Fugaku!" Deidara orders.

But being the stubborn ass that he is, the head answers, "Not until you tell me what the hell is more important than trying to get out of here!"

"How about more innocent blood about to be spilled? Stop acting like a freakin child and get in the damn car, or the next body we're going to see is Kabuto's!"

* * *

**Dun, dun, DUN! Sasuke nearly killed Itachi and Orochimaru is now going after Kabuto! What's going to happen to Itachi and Kabuto and will Deidara and the others get there in time? I'm pretty sure you all can guess who fell on top of the car and scared the crap out of Naruto right?**

**So how was it? Bad? Good? Let me know. Thank and see ya guys next time!**


	17. We're Here For You

**A/N: And with that, I'm done! Phew. Dun…dun…DUN…! With this chapter, secrets will be revealed and maybe you might be a little shocked. I know I should be working on my presents to Sasuke on his birthday but I was just rummaging through my iPod for music and got inspired when I started to listen to my rock/alternative playlist. I hope you like it and for those Kabuto-haters, he dies in this chapter. Hooray!**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters, nor do I own the story. Wish I did but at the moment, I'm a bit content with how Kishimoto is doing so far for Gaara. As for Sasuke and Itachi, nope. I wanna take over the story. Thank you all for those who have reviewed for this story and I hope you all will like my presents for Sasuke on the twenty-seventh. At the end of this chapter, I will have my winners and the next game question. Enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 15: We're Here For You

Kabuto ran all the way to the old barn and lucky for him, the door was wide open for him to just run in and grab the door. But before he could close it as soon as he grabbed the handle, Itachi slips right in; having been following close behind. Once he got in and stopped running, he turns around to see Kabuto, all by himself, close the doors and then used the lock to latch it shut. From his fear, he gained the strength to close those doors on his own without a struggle. It would take great effort for one person alone to do that and sometimes, it would take two people to close those doors. All the while as the business man's doing this, it's amazing he didn't fiddle with the lock the way he's panicking like how he did before. It's amazing still that he didn't have a heart attack yet from the combination of fear and running as hard as he did. As soon as the door closed and locked, he does the same thing as when he entered the Uchiha's room. He leans against it as if holding the doors up to make sure nothing comes in. Itachi stays silent for the moment. He'll give the guy some time to breathe before he says anything but apparently, he didn't have to.

"Just so we're clear," Kabuto quickly says, sounding absolutely breathless. "You have nothing to do at all with what's been going on." He looks up at the Uchiha genius and now they have a serious eye-to-eye conversation.

Itachi didn't answer him quite yet. He has a pretty good idea what could have change the silver head's mind. His hand rises up to his neck and his fingertips gently brush against that warm, red flesh before he asks, "Are you saying that because of this?" Kabuto took that the wrong way.

"It was self-inflicted?" he yells, a small bit of anger being heard besides the obvious shock that he actually took the guy off suspicion. Good grief

However, Itachi answers, "No. What would have been the use?" This time, he wasn't looking at Kabuto anymore. Touching the mark he can't see but can feel, his mind goes back to how he got it.

Sasuke was so close. He was right there and Itachi couldn't see him. His vision covered in darkness and all he could do was hear and feel his little brother being so close to him. That alone greatly saddened him and for the first time in a long time, it showed on face.

Seeing the face of agony and sorrow, it took Kabuto off guard. Emotions were the last thing he expected from this Uchiha doll. "But you know who did it to you?" he asks.

"_NII-SAN SHOULDN'T BE HERE!"_

His voices…

His words…

There was no doubt at all that was Sasuke. Ever since Itachi saved his little brother from their father, the boy would always call him by the nickname he used to give his older brother as a child. He wouldn't call him 'aniki' anymore or even call him by name. Not even pronouns were used when talking to or about him. It was always 'nii-san'. Nothing else.

"Yes."

The sorrow deepened and the expression on the Uchiha's face looks oddly familiar to the silver haired man. Thinking of where he's seen it before, Kabuto goes through all of his memories of the last time he saw the guy with emotions on his face; these especially. Was the person who attacked Itachi someone of the past? If so, then who would cause the guy to make a face like that?

Then it hit him. There was only one person who used to make Itachi look like how he does now; the same expression and the same placement of the hand as he thought of that person. Only one person…

"Hold on! That's not…"

His voice trailed off. He dare not finish that sentence because, like all the other strange events of today, there is no possible way the person who he has in mind and attacked Itachi was really him.

The Uchiha heir knows who Kabuto is refereeing to. When Sasuke was alive and was really sick, everyone knew about his impulses and how Itachi would just stand there and take it. The first attack was actually on the very day they rescued him from Fugaku at Madara's and Izuna's home after Sasori allowed him to see Sasuke when he was done analyzing his physical condition. Itachi's answer became, "It's been a long time since I've had this mark."

That's it! The sane line ends right here!

"Okay! This is ridiculous!" Kabuto exclaims, clearing having enough of this crap. He pushes himself off the door and takes fast steps towards the Uchiha till he's standing right in front of him. All the while saying, "It's bad enough that I'm even considering the possibility that Kisame was right! That there really are ghosts here and one of them really did possess Deidara, but I don't need YOU of all people to tell me that they exist!" By the time he was done, he's shouting in Itachi's face.

The Uchiha genius remains impassively calm as he replies, "Science cannot solve all of the mysteries of this world. There are times when things that can't be explained _cannot_ be explained. Science can only elucidate so much and there are times when we have no choice but to accept what they are."

Obviously, this guy is accepting the impossible but he can't be serious!

"Do you honestly believe that spirits are with us right here right now in this summer house?"

Please say no! For god's sake, say no!

But Itachi's answer is, "What do you expect me to believe?" His hand starts to caress the mark on his neck, indicating that this is proof enough for him to believe that his little brother really is here.

Oh shit.

"Anything but this!"

_Ring_

_Ring_

_Ring_

That not only took Kabuto off guard but it slightly surprised Itachi as well. That ringing sound is coming from Kabuto's pocket…where his cell phone should be. Both men look down at that area and there is small light shining through the material, indicating that the phone is indeed ringing. Kabuto's hand is shaking as he reaches for it. Minutes ago for several hours, there was no reception at all for the business man's phone to pick up. Now all of a sudden, in the dead of night, in a situation such as this, it's working. Dare Kabuto take that phone out from the confinements of his pocket and flips it open to see who's calling him. But what he sees before him surprises him even more. As soon as he saw the picture of who's calling, he pulled the phone away from Itachi's view and presses the send button to accept the call while taking steps away from the Uchiha heir.

"Anko?" he answers into the phone.

Now this is a different behavior compared to the terrified one he had only seconds ago. The woman on the other line, the one called Anko, Itachi saw the picture Kabuto used to identify her. It was only for a quick moment but he saw it. A woman in her early or mid twenties with brown layered hair that's up in a neat pony tail, creamy milk chocolate eyes that sparkled with wild amusement and mischievous, friendly teasing, a pretty and slightly goofy smile with pearl white teeth, healthy creamy skin, a big rack, and skinny arms that draped around Kabuto's shoulders as she's hugging him from behind and her head leaning against his. More than the phone actually working, that pictured surprised Itachi most of all as he watches the business man talk with that woman.

"Anko, I can't talk right now. I-"

But he suddenly stops as he listens to what's on the other line.

_Hiiiisssss_

Something that isn't human.

"_Kabuto…I've missssssssed you…"_

As soon as he hears that, confirming that is not Anko, Kabuto drops the phone and stomps on it; as if trying to kill what he just heard. Itachi only watches, taking in the business man's desperate attempts to now murder his beloved phone and make sure that it's nothing more than a thousand pieces on the dirt, hay covered floor. He may not have heard what was being said to Kabuto, but Itachi has a pretty good idea who instead was on the other line.

By the time Kabuto was done, he was a panting mess from both the effort he put in to annihilate his phone and the initial shock of communicating with the dead through a mobile device. Itachi gives him a few minutes to breathe before he spoke to him again.

"Anko is your secretary," he starts, gaining the business man's attention. The Uchiha heir reverted back to his calm, apathetic self as he adds, "You two seem awfully close for coworkers."

Itachi remembers meeting her once or twice in his life time. She had the outgoing personality of Naruto. Even when she was on work duty she acted as such but she was good at her job as her peers and underlings respected her greatly, from what the Uchiha noticed. She worked for a different company before she could no longer work for her 'snot asshole', as she would call him, of a boss. Kabuto hired her when his last secretary, Guren, quitted for a less stressful job after adopting a son, Yukimaru. If the Uchiha heir remembers correctly, Anko has been working for Kabuto almost two years now.

"That's because we're not just coworkers. Anko is also my fiancé."

Now this is interesting. Instead of raising a brow in revealing mild surprise to this information, Itachi narrows his eyes at the man several feet away from him. The engagement would explain the closeness of the two in that picture but Kabuto is supposed to be gay, isn't he? Not that the change of heart would bother the Uchiha heir. It's the fact that Kabuto and Orochimaru have been together for years and only gone as far as live together. They never talked of marriage, even though it was obvious Orochimaru wanted it, and now with a girl that the business man had only worked with for a much shorter time than being with Orochimaru and were probably dating for only a few months, he's engaged to her? Itachi didn't say anything but the look he's giving Kabuto makes him think the Uchiha is accusing him with his eyes.

"Don't give me that look, Uchiha," he snaps, offensively. Now all of the energy he used to smash the phone comes back in a form of anger as he faces the long hair man before him. "At least I'm trying to move on! Unlike you morons who still cling to the past!"

When he said that, all he did was cause the recently graduated detective to narrow his eyes even more at hm. He defends himself so irrationally and immediately. He just jumped to conclusions and instantly insults everyone else. When Itachi spoke to him moments later, it was in a calmer but dangerous tone. "I have said nothing to accuse you of anything, Kabuto. However, I can't help but wonder if the reason why we've never seen you after Orochimaru's death was because of your secretary." The way Kabuto's finger twitched at the statement became an obvious answer to that accusation.

"I'm different from the rest of you," he responds, sounding more composed this time but still angry. "Yes, I cared for Orochimaru but I wasn't going to allow the past to keep me chained in one place. He wouldn't have want that I thought."

As true as that is, Itachi isn't at all convinced. "The average time for a grieving man to get over a tragic lost is not less than a year. Let alone enough time for him to find a new lover and ask her hand in marriage." _'And even if a man did, he must already been in an intimate relationship with that person. Even if the relationship started as a rebound.'_

He kept the last part to himself, just in case if what he's assuming isn't true. Like a game of cards, he won't show all of his pieces until he can figure out the strategy and reactions of his opponent. Right now, Kabuto looks highly offensive and cautious, like the man before him is about to reveal the skeleton in his darkest closet.

"What exactly are you accusing me of?" he asks, carefully now trying to be a logical thinker.

Itachi replies, "How long have you been in a relationship with your secretary before Orochimaru died?"

Instantly the business man's entire body tenses up like a stone statue, his eyes wide, his mouth a solid line, and his muscles tensed. Bingo.

"Nah, Itachi-kun. No need to interrogate him ssssso brutally."

This time when Kabuto tensed up after getting over the shock of hearing someone else besides himself and the man before him spoke, it was out of pure fear. Only the moment after that deep, hissing voice is heard, arms appear behind him and wrap around the spiky silver haired man; one wrapped around the shoulders and the other holding the head close to the body behind him. When Kabuto dared to look to the side, he sees wide golden eyes staring right back at him on a pale white face, framed and practically nearly covered by long, messy, clumped black hair, and decorated with a wide, crocked, demented but pleasantly happy smile. When Itachi saw him, he lost his detective façade and took a few steps back from the sudden reappearance of this spirit. Unlike Kabuto, he's not horrified when he saw him. Only surprised by the sudden appearance and cautious because from what he witnessed, this is one spirit that he _should_ be afraid of.

"I've already forgiven him, sssssso it'sssss alright…" Then when Orochimaru opens his mouth, his tongue came out but it was a tongue that should belong to no normal being. As his tongue was coming out, it just kept going and going until it looked about the length of another arm. It widen Kabuto's eyes even more, till it was wider than his own glasses, and he watches that tongue as it rises up to his cheek on the other side and licks it, all the way to his chin. It was that lick that Kabuto finally decided to move.

"Get away!" He pushes himself away from Orochimaru and leaves the stunned spirit, his tongue still out of his mouth but his smirk gone, and he retreats to Itachi's side.

The spirit stares at him with crazed confusion, his tongue retracting back into his mouth before he asks, "What'ssss wrong, Kabuto-kun?" Then he tilts his head to the side, really tilting it. "Why are you ssssso afraid of me?"

"Just s-stay away from me!" Kabuto tells him, sounding frantic and almost like a little child. "You're not even supposed to be here! You're dead!"

Orochimaru raises his head back up to its proper place and his smirk returns. Now sweet affection taking place of his confusion in his eyes. "Yesssss, I am dead. But that ssssshouldn't matter anymore, right? I know you don't really love her. You were only…_ssssseduced_ by her, right? SSSSShe deceived you. But now, ssssshe'ssss nowhere for milessss and I'm here." He extends his bloodied hand to his love and proposes, "Come to me, Kabuto. And we'll be together forever, just like how it'ssss ssssuppossssed to be."

Hearing that last part struck a nerve to Itachi and realizes what this spirit is asking of Kabuto and what might happen next. From everything that he'd seen, everyone who had died came in contact with their departed love one and all of them died after declaring their love for them. If Kabuto has any real feelings for Orochimaru at all and he declares it right now, then his fate would be sealed. However, seeing the horrified look on his face as he's looking at Orochimaru, seeing his body quivering and seeing how stiff he is, he's not captivated at all with seeing him again. But that doesn't mean that Orochimaru is just going to let him go. Not from what Itachi experienced from his vision and from when Deidara was possessed. He's also not that kind of person. The Uchiha heir takes one cautious step towards Kabuto as a way to protect the man from the spirit. He doesn't know how yet and at the moment, he doesn't like this man at all for what he's done to the departed spirit, but no way is he about to let the guy die for his lack of affection. Too many people have already lost their lives. When he did that, however, it made Orochimaru remember that he's not alone with his love in this barn house. They have an audience and really, it just pleases him all the more. Especially when he looks at the Uchiha heir from head to toe.

"My, my, Itachi-kun. That'ssss a beautiful mark you have there. It'ssss been a while sssssince I'ver sssseen it," he hisses, lowering his arm and now giving the unexpected witness his attention. Hearing that made Itachi's own muscles tensed. "SSSSSassssuke-kun must really be upsssset about you being here. He wouldn't have done that if he wasssssn't."

Sasuke said something similar to that too. He was screaming about how Itachi shouldn't be here. But why?

As if examining Itachi's condition further, Orochimaru makes the comment, "He even left you a couple of sssscratchessss. He's really, _really_ upsssset. But now I'm really curiousssss if he'ssss upsssset becausssse you're here or becausssse I tried to kill you…" Then he chuckles, like he just made the most entertaining and mood-lifting joke of the year. It's hardly entertaining or mood-lifting. "That retarded, volatile boy…sssso overdramatic and sssso irrepressible."

As scared as Itachi should be of this spirit, all he felt was anger when he said that. An anger he felt similar to when he heard his father's voice after he got that vision of Sasuke getting drowned.

"Don't insult my little brother's in front of me," he snaps, his tone low, calm, and heated from his rage. It surprised Kabuto to see the Uchiha stand up to a ghost that could very well kill them like he tried to do several times before and it took Orochimaru off guard. But in no time at all, the dead scientist starts chuckling again.

Okay, Itachi was dead serious and when he's serious, everyone knows not to mess with him. Or maybe since Orochimaru is already dead, he knows that Itachi can't do anything to him.

"Amazing," he cheers. "That's the ssssecond time you've stood up to ssssomeone issssn't it? Ssssince you've been here? I ssssupposed I sssshould congratulate them, then. It wassss their idea to give you Ssssasuke-kun'ssss memoriessss."

Wait, what?

Looking back at the living, Orochimaru could clearly see their unspoken question on their faces. The more reactions he's seeing from them, Itachi especially, the more he's enjoying himself. "You need to undersssstand ssssomething before you die, Itachi-kun. Until you dessssiced to join your brother in death, you will keep getting imagessss of Ssssassssuke-kun'ssss abussssive passsst. But I wonder if you're going to keep receiving thosssse memoriessss for the resssst of your extended life or will everything go assss planned?"

Kabuto asks, "Extended?"

Now running his bloodied fingers through his hair, which surprisingly went right through despite its mesh up and grimy look, the spirit answers, "Ssssasssuke-kun sssswore to me that he will do everything in hissss power to make ssssure his 'nii-san' doessssn't pull the trigger on hissss own life."

Sasuke…doesn't want Itachi to die?

"Truly a sssstupid boy, becausssse then you two wouldn't be together in the afterlife…like the otherssss."

Like the others? As if everything wasn't confusing enough, Itachi's and Kabuto's shock levels probably reached a new height with the information Orochimaru seems so willing to share. It's almost like he's testing them, seeing how they reach like the research scientist that he is. Testing and looking at the results, and then pushing it further until the test subject has reached its absolute maximum limit.

"Oh don't look too sssshocked, my darlingssss. Don't tell me you two honesssstly believed they had the heart to kill their most precioussss person, now do you? You think Izuna would sssshoot Madara'ssss head, Kimimaro sssstabbing Juugo'ssss heart and twissssting it, and Ssssuigetssssu-kun drowning Kissssame? You two don't know your friendssss at all." He shakes his head in disappointment as he said that. In a way, it sounds as if he's telling them a common bedtime story they all should know but he knows a different version of the story that is the absolute truth.

"W-Wait!" Kabuto calls out. "Are you saying that their deaths were…suicides?"

"What other deathsss would there be? They were hardly acc-ssss-idental." Before anyone could react, if they could at all, Orochimaru disappears from his spot so far from them and reappears right in front of his beloved. "Kabuto, my dear," he hisses so lovingly and warm. Too bad it didn't feel that way to the silver haired business man. With a face so tender and showing every bit of his devoted love towards the man before him, Orochimaru speaks as his hand rises to the living man's face, "I know you love me. Now join me in death and we'll be together again." With his bloodied hand on his face and stroking with such affectionate, icy care, Orochimaru leans his face close to Kabuto's face; his lips only centimeters away before touching. But before they could, Kabuto pushes him off as if he were a parasitic insect.

"No!"

The push and the answer, it became Orochimaru's turn to looked shocked beyond belief of his lover's rejection. He sounded like he could hardly speak as he breathes out, "W-What?"

"I said no!" Kabuto repeats, his fear and his shock gone and nothing else besides insulted anger. "How could you…How could you even ask me to kill myself just so I could be with you? If you love me at all, then you wouldn't want me to die! What on earth would convince you to think that I want to die?"

To Itachi, this is the first time someone has rejected their departed love. Those who accepted them, they all died. But what would happen to those who rejected them?

Orochimaru looked like a hurt child when Kabuto said that to him. There was some truth to Kabuto's words but he didn't catch it. "Becausssse sssshe ssssaid sssso," he only answers, catching everyone's attention. "The death god. Sssshe ssssaid you would, if you love me."

She? A death god?

Finally being able to speak, Itachi asks, "Shinigami?"

Passing him a small look with a broken expression before looking down at the ground to hide his face, Orochimaru explains, "You sssshould know all about them, Itachi-kun; just like your brother. But yet again, just like him, you don't know the deal onc-ssss-e made with the death god."

Still upset but having some of his confusion coming back, Kabuto asks, "What deal?" a bit too harsh.

The dead scientist flinched from his tone but he replies, "If a dead ssssoul, like mysssself, acc-ssss-eptssss the hand of the death god, then they can reunite with their loved onessss." Kabuto being an acception, Orochimaru was right. Itachi didn't know anything about Shinigamis making any kind of deals. "Ssssassssuke-kun was the firsssst eager acc-ssss-eptor becausssse the lasssst time he ssssaw Itachi-kun, it wassss when he had a pssssychological breakdown and wassss taken to the hospital. He wanted to ssssee if you would ssssurvive but he wassss dragged into the afterlife before he could. All he wanted wassss to ssssee you one more time. We all wanted to ssssee our loved onessss one more time. We just didn't know the conditionsss of what issss to come onc-ssss-e we're vissssible to the living'ssss eye."

His anger slowly dissipating and getting a little scared to ask this, Kabuto dares, "What…c-conditions?" Even though he already has a good guess of what it could be.

No longer looking down like a defeated animal, Orochimaru looks back up at his love, or probably ex-love, and his eyes looked just as angry as Kabuto's were moments ago only hard and colder. It made the silver hair man surprise to see such a look on the snake scientist's face but the dead's words prevented him from doing anything but stare into those now livid wide golden eyes and feel their heat. "Oncessss a human and a sssspirit ssssigns a contract with the death god, the loved oncessss will die and reunite with the parted ssssoul for all eternity. Ssssassssuke-kun didn't know thissss for it wassss never written in any mortal bookssss and sssso he wassss sssscreaming in horror when hissss uncle, the ssssummoner of the death god, became the firsssst to take hissss own life before hissss weeping baby brother."

Then like a striking snake, Orochimaru grasps Itachi's neck in a tight death grip. The Uchiha heir gasps from the hold and he tries to pry the spirit's hand off but to no success. Orochimaru didn't pay him any mind. Just looking into his eyes, anyone could tell that he was allowing his emotions to take over his actions. He has no conscious anymore to what he's doing. "He acc-ssss-epted the deal with the death god and your livessss will be the price-ssss, Itachi-kun." Then he tosses the living Uchiha towards his lover in his rage and Kabuto, luckily, was steady enough to catch Itachi and hold him up in a standing position. Itachi panted for a moment but he kept his eyes on Orochimaru in case the spirit does anything else besides just toss him. He's angry and who knows what an angry ghost can do.

But what none of them realize is behind them, from the back of the barn, an ax silently rises up from its place next to some fire wood that needed chopping.

Gaining back that happy demented look he had on earlier, Orochimaru abnormally tilts his neck with a smirk that reached his wide crazed eyes and says, "Touching, really it issss, if the loved one issss assss devoted assss thosssse who already died. If you think I'm lying, check the attic. I left the door open for you. Your proof issss there." Then snapping his head back to its upright position, Orochimaru shouts like a crazy psychopath finally snapping, "But none of it will change the fact that you both will die tonight! We ssssealed your fatessss with our love and you ssssealed yourssss the ssssecond you came here!"

By his silent command, the ax comes flying towards them at lighting fast speed. Both Itachi and Kabuto heard it coming but even if they risked looking behind to see it coming, by then the ax would slice them both – fatally wounding them or killing them instantly.

"NII-SAN, LOOK OUT!"

But out of the darkness, a different hysterical voice screams from the shadows. From that same shadows, cub of hay from the side of the barn comes flying out at a much faster speed and hits Itachi down to the ground; and only him alone. But the impact of the big clump of hay causes the Uchiha heir to hit his head against the floor. Knocking him out before his mind could progress the scream and the flying hay that hit him. If Kabuto had only a second, he would have notice the horrified gasp that came from the same area as the scream. But by the time he only saw Itachi on the floor, he felt that flying ax slicing his shoulder.

"Aaaugh!" he screams, his opposite hand instantly going to his shoulder to grasp the wound and collapse to his knees in the immediate pain that now pulses through his body. The flying ax lands in Orochimaru's hands and he looks completely oblivious to the fact the ax didn't hit Itachi as well and he ignores the cries and the bloodshed of his 'beloved'.

Walking on the blood splatters created from the first hit, Orochimaru approaches to the fallen Kabuto, passing the unconscious Uchiha that now holds him little meaning, and he raises the rusty old ax that drips with Kabuto's fresh red blood. The business man grips his wound more to stop the bleeding, his face is now sweating with his heart rate going a hundred miles per hour because of the adrenaline that dulls his pain and sends his senses going haywire. He sees his own blood dripping from his hand and down his arm to the floor creating a puddle before he sees the brown shoes or the ghost that attacked him. He looks up and his eyes widen with absolute terror at the sight of the blood covered ax raised above Orochimaru's head. But unlike the twisted face of evil Kabuto expected to see on the scientist's face, he sees something else.

"Why?" Orochimaru asks, his voice pitchy and almost meek as tears begin to roll down his face. His golden eyes are now shining with tears as more and more keep coming. For one moment, and one moment only, Kabuto didn't fear him. He only felt pity and guilt in the depths of his guts for causing ghost – this ghost who he used to say 'I love you' to and once cared more than anyone in the world – so much pain. "Why couldn't you ssssay yesssss? Your death would have been painlessssss."

Then that ax comes swinging down to his body and it sliced off that already useless arm.

_Slash_

_Wack, wack, wack_

* * *

**Maybe I didn't describe it very well to have Kabuto's death satisfying but if you let your imaginations run wild and you listen to Planet Hell from Nightwish, then you can see it and it becomes so appealing. Oh well.**

**My winners for my game question are… no one.**

**Sorry but my question was if the ghosts really want to kill their loved ones and the answer is no. They didn't want to kill them. Only to see them again. Wouldn't you if you died but there was someone alive who you wanted to see before you leave them forever? Now please don't be angry with me because I know a lot of you said 'no' but you gave some explanations that they have no choice but to kill them even though the deaths were really suicide. I won't blame you guys for that and truthfully, I liked them because I like to know what my fans are thinking about as they read my stories but sorry guys. Next time.**

**Though I guess for trying and failing on this question, I will tell you guys one little secret on the next chapter. The next one will have a sweet ItaSasu moment in it. Sweet and sad but hey! It'll be better than that kiss of death I gave you guys.**

**The next game question is…**

**What will happen to Orochimaru now that Kabuto has rejected him?**

**Now this question, I just need to know if you believe he will stay and cause chaos or leave since he is now heartbroken and betrayed. That's all.**

**Thank you all for voting, playing my game, and reviewing. But how was this chapter? Bad? Good? Let me know and please answer! Thank you and till Sasuke's birthday!**


	18. I Want to Be With You

**A/N: Hey guys! Oh my gosh, it's been FOREVER since I updated this story. Holly smokes! But I swear to you all that I've been busy and I was on writer's block with this one. I am so sorry and I hope that you will enjoy this chapter in honor of Halloween. I'm gonna try to update as much as I can in two days for this one but I don't expect to finish this story. I would like to finish it sometime this year, as well as YOMO, but that would mean putting a pause on a lot of things.**

**Oh well. For you guys, it should be worth it. Besides, this one and YOMO has been going on too long.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. I wish I did and rewrite it like how I am writing WWYDN,S but alas, no. It belongs to Kishimoto, who is completely destroying my other ideas for stories that I had if I'd never read the latest chapters that was updated this month. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and please keep them coming! I love them all and they help me so much, like you guys have no idea how much.**

**Warning! This might be a sad chapter!**

**Thanks and enjoy!**

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Ch. 16: I Want to Be With You

"_You know…what?" Izuna asked, reaching for his beloved brother. "What needs to be done? What do you mean, onii-san?" Hearing his voice and listening to those naïve curious words only brought a soft and gentle smile to Madara's face. Even though all he sees are the arms of his beloved brother, he knows that Izuna is just hiding in the shadows because, like the rest of the spirits here, he's ashamed with his appearance._

_But he has no need to be. To Madara no matter what he looks like, he is still his little brother who he loves so much. Just like the others. They're still them._

_Madara moves closer to the hiding spirit and holds him – pulling him out of the shadows and pulling him into a hug that assures him everything will be alright. Recognizing this hug causes Izuna to freeze in his brother's arms. Thanks to the deal Madara made with the Shinigami, the spirits are not only here but they can be touched as if they were really here. They're just cold, sad, and lonely to the touch._

"_She told me what I need to do," Madara answers, not all comforting Izuna to what's going on. "The Shinigami told me what needs to be done in order to be with you again, forever. However, if I begin that means that the children don't have enough time to patch things up. Everything has to happen tonight."_

_Now really getting scared, Izuna dare asks, "Wh…What are you saying?"_

_Then as if everything was completely normal, Madara pulls away for a bit but still holding Izuna in his arms and he smiles at his little brother's face – even though there are only empty sockets for holes on his beautiful but blood stained face. He looks deep into those holes with no fear or disgust. Only pure and sincere love and a great deal of guilt and sorrow._

"_I'm saying that I want to be with you now and forever, like how it was supposed to be. It's my fault that you died and now I shall pay the price so that you and I won't ever be separated again."_

_Izuna is not liking this. The more he hears the more he's not liking this at all._

"_Onii-san! Tell me what do you mean right now!"_

_But Madara just smiles at his anxious little brother/lover. Instead of answering to his command, the older Uchiha brother just kisses him. Izuna was surprised by the kiss but what could he do when Madara already has his arms around his smaller body to keep him where he is and his arms that feel too strong for him to break away from? Plus, this is the second time he's ever been kissed by him and just like the first time, this kiss makes him feel weak and submissive as well as excitement and so full of life – which is really something considering that he's dead. The younger Uchiha is shaking in his brother's hold and his hands grip Madara's shoulders as a way to keep him close and to steady himself in this simple but breathe-taking kiss._

_Then the most inexplicable thing happened._

_When Madara pulls away from Izuna after the simple kiss, he opens his eyes expecting to see those socket holes but instead he gets a very shocking surprise. Izuna has his eyes closed as well but when he opens them, there are eyes balls looking right back at Madara, revealing extreme confusion and deep concern. The older Uchiha brother was speechless when he saw those eyes. All this time that he's seen Izuna, he would only see holes from when he yanked his own eyes out and killed himself. Madara was used to never seeing those eyes again but right now, he sees Izuna's innocent coal black, beady eyes looking right at them – full of every emotion he's feeling right now. It made him curious if his little brother realize that he has his eyes back or if he realizes that he doesn't look dead anymore. His skin isn't so deathly pale, either. There is no more blood on his face, no circles under the eyes, and his eyes are not so wide like everyone else's that the older Uchiha has seen. In short, Izuna looks like he's alive again. It truly brings a genuine smile to Madara's face._

"_I made the deal with the Shinigami because I wanted to see you again and tell you how much I love you and how sorry I was for being so stupid. Instead of worrying about me, I should have been more considerate of your feelings. You were so insecure and I did nothing to help you feel comfortable. It is my biggest regret."_

_Izuna tells him, "You're making me nervous now. Onii-san, please tell me what's happening."_

_Softly and gently with nothing but true love, Madara replies, "I will if you answer me this one thing. Do you love me?"_

_The younger Uchiha didn't expect to hear that question. With every word spoken to him makes the dead man more and more uneasy. He really wants to know what his older brother is planning on doing but if he just has to answer a question, then…_

"_I do love you, onii-san. I've loved you for as long as I could remember. It's because of my love that I did what I did. Leaving home to follow after you and take care of you. I left everything behind for you. But would you love me, even when I look like a rotting corpse?"_

_Madara raises his hands to his younger brother's face and with each palm press against the younger man's cheeks, he leans his own forehead against the ice cold touch and looks deep within his little brother's eyes. "Izuna, you're beautiful – inside and outside, and I love you so much." Then he kisses him again and just like before, Izuna completely gives into the kiss. Feeling how his older brother's warmth could just spread from his lips throughout his entire body. To say that the kiss makes him feel all warm and fuzzy inside would be the understatement of a life time. Oh if only he head a heartbeat. It would be pounding in his chest so loud its sound would echo throughout the entire summer home._

_When the kiss broke again, Madara says, "That is why I am taking the Shinigami's conditions and give up everything to be with you."_

_Give…up…everything? What does he mean by…'everything'?_

_Before Izuna could even ask, his beloved moves away from him and goes to his side. Revealing into view, he takes out a Taurus gun with a 4" barrel. Seeing the gun, the dead man knows exactly of what his older brother is intending to do._

"_The Shinigami said that for the cost of my summoning to you and the children, I would have to give up the lives of those precious to the ghosts. I just can't live in a world you don't exist anymore and with my death, you and I will be together for all time. When the children come, I know that they will feel the same when they see their beloveds. Now let's be together, like how it was always meant to be." He moves the gun barrel to his chin and readies it to shoot._

_Hearing the __**click**__, Izuna finally reacted._

"_Onii-san!" Quickly, he tries to grab the gun to pull it away from his love. But the moment his hands touched that gun, there is a loud…_

_**BANG**_

_And Madara collapses to the ground, dead. Remaining in his spot and with the gun in his hands, Izuna stares at the wall across from him in total and utter disbelief. His eyes are wide in his shock, his mouth is open and bottom lip is quivering, and there's blood splatters on his face, neck, and chest. He just had a front row seat to his elder brother's demise and his mind is in total denial._

"_O…nii…san…?" he calls, his voice shaky as he looks down at the body before him. Instead of receiving an answer, he just sees Madara's lifeless eyes open and just staring at the opposite corner of the room. Eyes are the gateway to the soul and all Izuna can see is death. Nothing else._

_But…But this can't be! Madara was alive just a minute ago but he's dead? No, no, no! That can't be right!_

"_Onii-san!" Tossing the gun away like it's a deadly disease, it flies over Madara's body and lands not too far away but at least far enough that Izuna doesn't have to look at it while he's beside his elder brother. "Onii-san! Onii-san! Wake up! Please wake up! MADARA!" No matter how loud he screams or how many times he calls for him, he knows that Madara's heart beats no more. He's dead and his blood leaking from the top of his head is starting to form a puddle around his body and it expands with each passing second._

_Then rolling down his tears like marbles, bloody tears come dripping from Izuna's face and mixing in with the puddle of blood. "No…" he whimpers. "This isn't…this isn't supposed to happen! Onii-san!"_

"_Uncle Madara?"_

_The sound of an unexpected intruder of this angst scene causes Izuna to cease his sobbing and sharply look over his shoulder at the only person who he would never ever want to show this too. His skin as pale and as cold as death itself, blood-stained fingers and blood sticking the navy blue fabric against his chest from the violent and deep wounds on his neck, eyes extremely wide with dark shadows, his neck twisted in an distorted way, and his entire body shacking in disbelief and utter fear. Just by looking at the horror on this boy's face and seeing how vividly he's shaking, Izuna knows that this boy is going to blow._

"_Sasuke!" he calls, standing up so he could better face the boy. "Please, calm down." But seeing the body he's standing in front of, how can Sasuke just ignore that and more importantly, how can he ignore why his uncle just died?_

"_Is this…is this what happens to them…?" he asks, taking several steps back until his back is up against the wall. Leaning against it for support, he's still quivering in fear and his voice starting to pitch with panic. "When they get here…are they going to die…? Is nii-san…is nii-san going to die…? No. No. No! I can't let that happened! Nii-san can't die. Nii-san can't die. Nii-san can't die."_

_Now he's starting to repeat himself. That is definitely not good._

_Izuna really approaches him now and with his hands on the boy's shoulders, he tries to tell him firmly, "Sasuke, remain calm. Everything is going to be alright."_

_But then Sasuke just screams. "AAAAAHHHH! NII-SA~AAAAN!"_

* * *

"_Would you love me, even if I'm dead?"_

_To say that Juugo wasn't surprised by the knife threatening his life would be a lie. To say that it didn't bother him to see Kimimaro's dirty, bloody hand holding that knife wouldn't be one. He never voiced it and he would never admit it to anyone but he always assumed that maybe, just maybe, Kimimaro blamed him for his death. The white hair man told him not to go out that night to check on the generator but he went out anyway. Then there was a landside and the puppy… Juugo may not know exactly how it happened but he knows that Kimimaro went out to look for him because he was worried. And thus, Juugo is the reason why he died. He ignored the warning and he didn't come to save him. Does he even deserve to claim that he does love him?_

_Raising his hand up to the ghosts own dirty one, he holds that hand and the knife in its grasp. "Yes. I will love you forever and ever. Even in death. I won't run away from you anymore." He was just about to help Kimimaro thrust that knife into his chest to end his life when all of a sudden…_

"_No!" Kimimaro yanks his hand away and drops the knife to the floor. Juugo no longer felt the ghosts presence behind him and he stands there in utter confusion as he heard the knife land on the ground in __**clicker-clack**__._

"_Kimimaro?"_

"_No!" the ghost replies, now sounding like how it was before. Jumping from different areas in the room, his real location now unknown. "You need to get out of here. It's not safe here. Leave and live!"_

"_How can I do that?" Juugo asks him, sounding desperate but silent enough to prevent anyone from upstairs to listen. "Ever since you died, it's been a challenge every day. I've actually thought about using again. You were my only reason to stop and now without you, there have been times I would be sitting in the bathroom, staring at the bottle of pills in front of me. I hadn't taken one yet but on the anniversary of your death, I was close. I wanted to forget. Forget about the pain and forget about the emptiness I felt losing you. But what stopped me was the idea of forgetting about you. I can never forget you! You've changed and helped me so much. I can't forget about you, nor can I live without you!"_

_Then there is only silence. When Kimimaro didn't respond to Juugo, he thought that maybe he left. He just poured his heart out and Kimimaro left him. Could this mean that Kimimaro doesn't love him anymore? He hates him for being the cause of his death but he's a good person and wouldn't wish for Juugo to die. That's just the kind of person Kimimaro is._

_But to the orange head's surprise, he feels someone grasp his hand. It's cold but the touch just feels so sad and lonely. The instant he felt that hand grab his, he felt a jolt rush through his body like a stunning bolt of electricity. Then he feels that person rub his hand in the gentlest of caress._

"_I really wish you didn't say that. I'm not worth dying over and I most certainly don't need you to die because of me. You still have so much to live for," Kimimaro says, his voice sounding just as sad and lonely. It wretched on Juugo's heart when he heard his once fiancé speak like that._

_Using his other hand, Juugo smoothes his bigger hand up Kimimaro's arm, since he can't see his body, and he makes his way to the smaller, dead man's face. He felt every inch of Kimimaro's clothes, which felt damp and sandy with dirt as if he just popped out of the ground to be here. When Juugo caresses his cheek, the dead man let out a soft shaky sigh and allowed his lover to do this. Even though his skin felt so smooth and cold, there were also tears, dried trails of mud and blood, and some bit of flesh felt too soft like rotting meat. But did Juugo care? No. He was just grateful to be touching him again, an opportunity he never thought he could ever get again while he was still breathing._

"_So did you," he says. "It was not right for you to die in my place. I should have been buried that day. Not you."_

"_Juugo-" But the bigger man interrupts him._

"_I, Sakaguchi Juugo, take Kaguya Kimimaro as my lawfully wedded husband. To hold and comfort in time of sickness and in health; in joy and in sorrow; far longer than death. Even when death tried to take either one of us away, the only I will forever love and forever wish to be with in this world is you, Kimimaro."_

_He interrupts the ghost with a wedding vow and it was a vow that would have brought Kimimaro to tears of joy on their wedding day. Right now, it still brings Kimimaro to tears and not in only joy. But in the greatest relief of finally being able to hear them, and such words deserved to be given back._

"_I…" he tries to start, his sobs nearly stopping him when they stop at his throat. But Juugo waits patiently for him to calm down just a little and say his vow. "I, Kaguy Kimimaro, take Sakaguchi Juugo as my lawfully wedded husband. To hold and comfort in sickness and in heath; in joy and in sorrow; far longer than death. Even if the world to end and everything that it is, forever and ever, I want to be with the man who has loved me faithfully and unconditionally." Then he pulls away from Juugo's touch and pulls the living man farther into the basement and into the small moonlight peeking in through the window. When Juugo finally sees his beloved, he became completely speechless at the sight before him._

_In the glistening moonlight, Kimimaro doesn't look like a rotting corpse smothered in mud and blood and gashed with wounds of the earth crushing his body. Instead, he looks the same as if he were alive. His body and clothes clean and unscratched, his eyes normal size with no dark circles, and his skin gaining a little bit more color than just death white. Even though he's wearing the same clothes he wore when he died, to Juugo he was more beautiful than any bride or groom could ever be on their wedding day._

_When he found his voice, he could only say one thing. "You're beautiful."_

_Then at long last, Juugo sees Kimimaro's sweet and genuine smiles that he has missed and been deprived of for so long. He couldn't stop himself then. He pulls Kimimaro to him and kisses him as soon as he was in reach. The white hair man gladly accepts the well-missed kiss and returns it with as much love and affection as he could. Finally, their souls feel complete and at long last, their souls are married._

_When the two of them ended their kiss, they just stood there, staring into each other's eyes with so much adoration for the other as they held hands. Then Juugo leans over to Kimimaro's ear and says, "Let us be together like it was always meant to be." Instead of waiting for his answer, Juugo pulls away from his lover's hands and walks over to the spot where he once stood to find that knife he dropped. Once he has that knife in his hand, he was going to turn around and face his love in the light but Kimimaro had already rushed over to him and with his arms wrapped around the bigger man's torso. He didn't say a word but Juugo could feel Kimimaro's arms shaking and tightening around him._

_He doesn't want Juugo to do this but he wants to be with him._

_Positioning the knife right over his heart, Kimimaro says one more thing to him. "I've finally found you, Juugo."_

_The knife thrusts right through Juugo's heart and with the last bit of strength, he twists it to ensure his immediate demise._

* * *

"_Please…say it…"_

"_I do. I love you, Suigetsu."_

"_Then please…" All of a sudden, Suigetsu removes himself away from Kisame and tries to move far away from the blue-skinned man as far as he could. Leaning against the wall, his hands up against his chest and his head hung low, the deceased albino pleads, "Leave this place and don't come back! You'll die here if you'll don't!"_

_Now Kisame is surprised. It was just a moment ago he was enchanted by the sight of seeing his beloved white hair angel and now that very angel that was pleading him over and over to speak words of love, is now asking him to leave and never come back. Leave him like how he left him to the sharks?_

"_Suigetsu…" Before the shark-eaten boy could stop him, the shark-looking man grasps his hand and pulls him back close to him. Now Kisame is eye to eye with extremely wide violet eyes and does he care? Of course not. "I don't care. I'm not leaving you."_

"_What are you? An idiot?" Suigetsu asks, not believing what he's hearing. He tries to pull his hand back as he says, "I care! I care if you die! To hell with the damn curse! I don't want to be with you if it means you being dead!" That struck a nerve within Kisame when he heard that._

_He doesn't…want to be with him?_

_Suigetsu is refusing to look at him right now. With his hand still in his love's grip, he can't get away. All he can do is speak out everything that he feels, right now. "I was upset…I wanted to know why you kept me waiting. That's all I wanted to know. So I came here to find out that reason and it was something as stupid as cold-feet. I should have known better. But that question kept haunting me. The curiosity was killing me inside, if I wasn't dead already. I wanted to know, I __**needed**__ to know. Now that I do, I can move on. I'm so happy. You always loved me, my stupid Kisame, and I'm okay with just that. I just want your love. That's all. So just go and live your life. Please…please…"_

_As shocked as Kisame should be from his words, he was even more so by the droplets of water he could see disturbing the stillness of the water. They weren't from drops dripping from the tips of Suigetsu's hair. They're from his chin and his eyes. He's crying._

_Maybe Kisame should obey his wishes. Take his friends, who are ALIVE, and high tail it out of here. This place is obviously haunted but that brings up the question. Who else is here? If Madara and Juugo died, then does that mean that Izuna and Kimimaro are here as well? And if they're here, then does that mean that the others are here as well? Orochimaru, Sasori, Kyuubi, and Sasuke? If Itachi were to see Sasuke again, that would most definitely bring back the old him that Kisame, and pretty sure everyone else, loved and missed. He wouldn't be a doll anymore and he would most certainly stand up to his father again. Everything would just work out and go back to normal if they just all saw their loved ones again._

_But the only problem was that those loved ones are dead._

_Then the only way for things to go back to normal truly is to die as well._

_Also, at long last he has Suigetsu in his grip and there is no way that he's going to ever let go!_

"_What's the point of living if you're not with me?"_

_Confused, Suigetsu looks up at his blue-skinned lover and there's so much devotion and pure seriousness in Kisame's eyes. Something the albino man is not used to. With so much passion in his voice, Kisame tells him, "Every day has been a challenged. None of us could go through the day without your smile, your laughter, you're lovable personality. The only reason why we all stayed alive until now is because we knew that you all would have been upset about it. But it's selfish of you guys to tell us to live on without you." His violet eyes widen when he heard those words._

_Is asking them to live…really so selfish?_

"_Now I understand. Now I know why Madara and Juugo died. It's because for once in their lives, they wanted to do a selfish thing to the one they love most. We want to be with you, more than you think you know. You and all the others were not supposed to die! You were never meant to die. It's my fault that you did."_

"_Do you even listen to yourself, Kisame?" Suigetsu yells, getting irritated because it sounds like Kisame isn't listening to a word he's saying to him. "First you tell me that it's selfish to ask you to live but you just admitted that you want to kill yourself out of guilt! How does any of that make sense?"_

"_It's because I'm trying to tell you that I accept the blame of your death but that isn't why I want to die. I want to die because I want to be with you!"_

"_My death was not your fault! We were both just being stubborn mules that were too emotional about everything else! Why don't you ever listen?"_

_Then to silence them and to stop their fight, Kisame grasps the back of Suigetsu's head and locks him in place as he kisses the dead boy. Of course, Suigetsu struggled. He's still in the middle of trying to get something through Kisame's thick skull but like always, it ends like this. Well, most of the time it usually does. Suigetsu tries to shove and hit but Kisame remains completely oblivious to it all. The longer his lips press against his deceased love, the lighter the hits feel and the more submissive Suigetsu eventually becomes. In no time at all, the white hair teenager returns the kiss, having missed its sweet, irresistible taste._

_When the kiss broke between them, Kisame becomes face to face with the face that had once belong to his boyfriend when he was alive. No longer does Suigetsu look as if he's plagued with death. His skin is tan and full of color, like how it used to be before; his skin is perfect, without the single evidence of bite marks or wounds on his body; the water is clear of any water or dirt, and his eyes, still closed, are shedding tears from closed lids. Stroking his face, Suigetsu cracks them open and they're back to its original state. No more dark circles, and no longer wide beyond originality._

"_I can finally ask what I was too scared to say before," Kisame whispers into the teenager's quivering mouth. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Or in this case, till the end of time. I love you, Suigetsu. More than anyone. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"_

_Suigetsu tries to hold the sobs inside but to veil. He can't because not only are the tears he's shedding full of sorrow. They're filled with happiness as well._

"_Yes," he answers, breaking into a sob. "God damnit, yes! You fricken shark-obsessive big lug."_

_No words on earth could make Kisame happier than how he feels with those just now. Those words that made his heart swore as they insult him at the same time._

_Lowering his hands down to his side, Kisame smiles as his dead fiancé brings his own hands to the blue man's face in reaction. "Let's be together like how it's always supposed to be." Lowering his head down to the water, Suigetsu goes down with him and holds his lover's head as he drowns himself to death._

* * *

"Why…?"

Laying on the ground still unconscious, Itachi is unaware of not only the puddle of blood so close to his body but also of two other people inside the barn with him and the body parts of who used to be Yukushi Kabuto.

"What on earth is wrong with you? How dare you get nii-san involved!"

With the haystack still on his back, the conversation between the living and the dead is now just between the dead and the dead. Standing between them as if protecting Itachi, Sasuke in all his bloody, broken glory – glares at the snake ghost before him with eyes full of extreme anger and hate.

Orochimaru, however, appear unaffected by the look and the yells as he acts like he's lecturing a child – which in his case, feels like that. "He wassss with Kabuto of his own accord. I had no control over who he followed. He wassss ssssimply in the way."

Hearing those words did not please the teenager in the least. In all honesty, it just made his mood worst. "You could have separated nii-san from him before you tried to ax nii-san's head off! How could you put nii-san in danger like that?"

Nii-san, nii-san, nii-san. It's never going to end! Why can't the boy just use pronouns for his brother already? He doesn't have any problem using pronouns for everyone else.

Sounding just a bit more irritated, Orochimaru explains to the boy, "He had questionssss wanting to be ansssswered and I wassss more than happy to give it to them. I guesssss you can ssssay that I was losssst in the moment and the ax just went flying without a ssssecond thought. If he died, that would be okay with me and lesssss work for you when the time comessss."

_Rumble_

When he said that, the entire barn begins to shake. Orochimaru didn't have to look around to see what's rumbling or who's causing it all. He knows the source of it all and he of course knows that despite Sasuke's feelings going out of control that's controlling everything, he's already dead. What more harm could Sasuke's rage do to him?

"I won't forgive you," Sasuke says to him. Then with an ear-piercing scream, he yells out, "I won't forgive Orochimaru for putting nii-san in danger! Or any of you for making nii-san suffer!"

Everything shakes more violently after that. Almost like an extremely active earthquake in which any living person would have either gone to the center of the room away from everything or duck down for cover to protect themselves from falling objects. Sound after sound, something falls and breaks. Rather it's the dusty old fashion lamp light, horseshoes, more stacks of hay, barrels, or even random tools that just so happened to be lying around. Any minute now, those things will soon be flying through the air if the boy continues to become angrier and angrier. However, Orochimaru still argues back.

"You can't protect him all night and you know that, Ssssassssuke-kun!"

Instantly Sasuke's eyes widen in shock and dire realization, and everything stops vibrating. Things became quiet again and the only sound in the barn is the rolling of round objects that fell over and the very light sound of Itachi's breathing.

"No…" Sasuke mumbles. Casting his wide eyes down to the ground, he starts having another episode again. "No, no, no! I refuse! Nii-san will not die! Nii-san will live, nii-san will live-"

But he becomes interrupted when Orochimaru says, "Before you go off repeating every ssssingle thing becausssse you're sssstresssssed out again, let me remind you that your brother will eventually die tonight! The sssseparation of a ssssoul mate is too great to live with. Your uncle couldn't live through it. Juugo and Kissssame couldn't live with it either! You need to ac-sss-cept that thissss issss happening and there issss nothing you can do that can lift the Sssshinigami cursssse."

Still resistant and stubborn as always, Sasuke slowly shakes his head in disagreement before he claims, "No matter what happens, I will not let nii-san die! You gave in because you were desperate to be with Kabuto again. I too would have done anything to just speak with nii-san one last time but if it means endangering nii-san's life then forget it!"

"The longer you ressssisssst, the longer you're prolonging his ssssuffering!" And Sasuke becomes silent once again in his shock. That struck a nerve. "What if Itachi-kun wantssss to die? Ever thought of that? Would you be willing to deprive him of what he wantssss? Don't you want your _nii-ssssan_ happy?" He flinched when he heard that. Looking back down at the ground, he grips his hands together as another way to keep himself together from Orochimaru's truthful words. He knows he's right. That he cannot deny. "I can tell, Ssssassssuke-kun. His heart issssn't as sssstrong when it comessss to his weaknesssss…you. As ssssoon as he sssseessss you, he will take his own life; rather you like it or not. Sssso long assss it meanssss he getssss to be with you, forever. Just like the otherssss."

Still, Sasuke was stubborn when he was alive and he'll remain stubborn even in death. "Nii-san won't see me then. Nii-san won't, nii-san won't, nii-san won't. And I'll stop nii-san." Facing the snake scientist again, he tells him firmly, "I'll stop nii-san before that happens!"

If it weren't for the irritation of having to tell this child the same things over and over again, Orochimaru would have laughed at the boy's pitiful resistance in this dark, cruel world. When it comes to death, there is nothing kind that comes with it except for its blissful release. "Good luck with that, Ssssassssuke-kun. But I wonder how long will it take for him to ssssnap his thread of life. Esssspecially when he's full of unnecessssssssary guilt and ssssorrow for what he did to you."

"Nii-san didn't do anything wrong to me!"

"Oh really? Then why is he sssstill acting like a puppet on sssstringssss? Why is he sssstill under the control of that father of yourssss?" When he said that, Sasuke took several steps back and his body shook for one brief moment. His eyes are full of fear but there is also something much more stronger in them as well – shame and pain. Explaining to him more maturely, Orochimaru says, "He needssss to know, Ssssassssuke-kun. Why elsssse would we be giving him visionssss of the passsst? He needssss to know the difference-sss between what couldn't be helped and could've been helped."

Again, Sasuke shakes his head and this time, he grips his hair on the sides as he responds, "Nii-san doesn't need to know. Nii-san is…fine with what he knows!"

"Really? Look at him, Ssssassssuke-kun? Look at him!" Doing as he's told, Sasuke looks. He looks down at his unconscious brother and Orochimaru asks him, "Does that look like ssssomeone who is fine with what he knowssss and what he assssssssumessss? How he'ssss living is not healthy."

"But death is not the answer!"

"Neither is the meaninglessssssss life of doll. I want you to tell me who you think is caussssing him more pain. Ussss, your father, hissss memoriessss, or you."

Now, Sasuke just feels like crying. These words…these truths…They hurt. Orochimaru's words ponder in his mind. Who is causing him pain? If anything, he will take the blame so that he could take all of the suffering in the dark and his brother could move on without him. But he knows that it's not all entirely his fault. He's the main cause of it but there's an even hidden meaning to his beloved brother's pain. But all of this…

He doesn't want to hear it anymore.

This conversation is over.

Sasuke looks away from his brother and looks for something else. Seeing it, he approaches it and picks up the detached head of the poor victim of Orochimaru's own violent rage and sorrow. Dusting off the dirt and trying to wipe away any blood on Kabuto's face, Sasuke shoves the head into Orochimaru's arms. "Take Kabuto and go!"

Looking at the head in his hands, Orochimaru looks at it with no feelings at all. As if he just shut down on his emotions, he drops the head and tells the silly boy, "I can't. Kabuto left me. I murdered him and now he'ssss gone. I won't ever get him back and I can't move on without him."

Still the boy persists. Lifting up the head, Sasuke looks at the lifeless face of the silver hair business man before looking back at his once happy, love-struck friend. "Kabuto is still here. In there." He tip-toes to Orchimaru's head to tap the forehead and then he taps his chest right where the heart should be. "And there. You have precious memories of him. Use it and take his head at least." He shoves the head back into the now stunned scientist's hands and Orochimaru stares at the head before him.

Suddenly memories rush through his mind. Memories of when he first met Kabuto as a lab partner in high school all the way to college, memories of when they started to date and all of the fun they had together, memories of the feelings he felt when Kabuto said that he loved him and when they first became one as true lovers, and how happy he felt when Kabuto asked him to live together with him. Orochimaru remembers when things used to be so perfect and how every day was a joy and a gift from a higher power. Looking back the face of his lover, tears gather in his eyes. Right before the young Uchiha, he watches as the blood from Orochimaru's hands disappear, how the cuts just heal on his palms, and how what little color the man used to have when he was alive returns to his face. Before his eyes, Orochimaru becomes alive again and he holds the head to his chest like a precious item to his heart.

Sobbing, Orochimaru agrees, "Yes!" Then right before Sasuke's eyes, Orochimaru's spirit disappears and with him, Kabuto's head. All that is left in the barn is the young Uchiha staring at the place where Orochimaru once stood, the remaining body parts of Kabuto, and the still unconscious body of his brother.

Alone, Sasuke looks back over his shoulder to his brother. Still just lying there, oblivious to what just happened. The violent spirit has passed on. The threat is over but not everything is over. Yet still, the boy looks at Itachi with so much yearning in his heart. Moving closer to the older man, he shoves the haystack off of him and kneels down to the ground.

"Nii-san…" Reaching for his brother, he doesn't go to the neck with any intentions of hurting him again. But instead he leans over Itachi's body and holds him as much as he could with one arm while the other hand holds one of Itachi's. His expression is so full of guilt and his eyes hold back the tears that wish to be shed. He knows what he did before this and his eyes caught sight of the red mark on his older brother's neck and the scratches on his cheeks. He did that and he's beating himself over inside, just like he always does when he returns to his senses and he sees the evidence of his freak out on Itachi's body.

"Sa…suke…"

The ghost gasps and looks down at the body under him, only to see unopened eyes. Yet still, Itachi returns the grip and his face appears then more peaceful than it did before.

Why, are the thoughts that run through Sasuke's head. Why is it that Itachi never blames him or gets angry with him with every troublesome thing he does? He just lies there and takes it like always. Like he deserves to be punished and Sasuke is the punisher. As long as it's Sasuke the man is at peace – and that is what hurts Sasuke the most.

"I'm so sorry, nii-san." Unable to hold back the tears any longer, the ghost starts crying. Gripping the hand tighter, he sobs as silently as he can to not wake his brother and he says again, "I am so, so sorry."

* * *

**Aw! Sad Sasuke! But at least Orochimaru has passed on.**

**So my winner is: Hitoko-sama!**

**You may now go and vote for which ever story idea you like.**

**Now I don't have a question for you now but I will next time.**

**But how was it? Bad? Good? Corny? Let me know! Till next time!**


	19. I Deserve to Die

**A/N: Hello, everyone! Wow, it's been a while and I apologize for that. Things have been hectic for me, like you wouldn't believe. And most of those times were very frustrating. You would think that with all the frustration I have, I would be updating and finishing this story! But this one is mostly a guilty one and even though I don't feel extreme guilt right now, I need to get this chapter done if I want to get to the really good parts. You guys might like it after the ending. Even though the ending might be pretty obvious at this point.**

**Anyway, I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. At this point, I don't know if I want to own it just because I'm anxious to know what Kishimoto has in store for our beloved Uchihas, to those who what I'm talking about and are up-to-date. I thank you all for the wonderful reviews and your amazing patience! I will try my hardest to update this story sooner and hopefully the next chapter will be easier. Except for maybe one part but…eh. Gotta wait and see. Enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 17: I Deserve to Die

When Itachi finally opens his eyes, he wasn't lying on the hay scattered floor of the barn or on his stomach from being hit from behind when the cube of hay attacked him. He's lying on his back with warmth covering him. What he's lying on feels soft yet firm, dipping to the side from something heavy leaning against it. Obviously, he's on a bed and the warmth is his comforter. He saw the ceiling first when he opened his eyes and when he turns his head to the side, he sees what's dipping his bed.

"Itachi dear?"

Mikoto is there, sitting on her knees on the side of the bed with her upper half leaning against the bed and as soon as she sees that her son is awake, she sits up straighter to lean closer to her boy and tears appear at the corner of her eyes, ready to fall from the great relief of seeing Itachi awake.

Looking at her, Itachi just stares as memories flush back through his mind. Waking up the first time by Sasuke's death grip before the boy left, Kabuto barging in since he was being chased by the ghost of his psycho dead lover, he finds out that Kabuto was cheating on Orochimaru before the scientist died, and then the truth of what's been happening at this Summer Home all night came into the light. The dead spirits are here and so far, all who are reunited with them have died. Madara, Juugo, Kisame, and now apparently Kabuto. Even though the guy refused him, something tells Itachi that something terrible happened to him after seeing how enrage Orochimaru was.

Something most definitely happened after he was knocked out, but what exactly?

Having remembered what happened before, not a single emotion expressing his shock of it all, Itachi asks his mother, "What happened?"

When he spoke, Mikoto started to cry. She truly does feel the greatest, upmost relief that the last of her children is alive and well. So badly she wants to just hug him and cradle in her arms but she knows better than anyone that she can't just simply do that. Calming her tears for just the moment, she replies, "The murderer was in the house and he locked me in the closet. I was so scared. Not because I was in the closet but because I thought you were his next target. I tried to get out but I couldn't. Then your father and the others came back and they found me. When they asked where Kabuto-san and you were, I didn't know and I feared the absolute worst. Deidara-kun and Naruto-kun went to look for you two while your father stayed with me. When they came back, you were okay but unconscious and they told me that Kabuto was dead. They found his body, or what's left of him in the barn with you. Itachi, did you see the murderer? Did he do anything to you?"

As she looks at her son with waiting desperate pleading eyes, Itachi didn't feel like he should tell her what he knows. Her hysterical speech is proof enough for him that she is on the verge of having a complete breakdown. If she hears that the murderer is really the ghosts of the past, her reaction would be unpredictable. She would think that Itachi was losing his mind, especially after all of the events that have happened, or she could believe him. Somehow the last part seemed highly unlikely. He needs to think of a story and fast.

"I didn't see him," he lies, his expression and voice calm and cool. "I heard screaming when I woke up. I realized it was Kabuto so I tried to look for him. His screams were coming from the barn but when I went inside, I saw his body and I was knocked out a second later. I don't know why I was left alive. I really don't…"

Mikoto's eyes turned sorrow and regretful when he said the last part. Even more so when he was no longer looking at her. The way his expression and how he turned to look at the wall, it was like he was wondering why was he still alive when he wanted to die; and she knows the reason why he would wish for such a thing. So terribly much she wants to just run her fingers through his bangs to comfort him and tell him what every mother should tell their children at a time like this. But every time she tried to be a mother to him, Itachi would push away from her. She knows that in his eyes, she could never be his mother again because what mother would allow their husbands to abuse their children? She knows this and understands it but it's in her nature. It's something she can't help. Especially now…

Stopping herself from touching his head when she wanted to try, Mikoto says to him, "I understand, sweetheart. You just rest okay? The others couldn't find a way out yet but we're just going to pack and go. Too many people are dying and we don't want to lose anyone else. I'll go pack your things so just rest up."

Itachi could hear by the tone of her voice how much she wants to say the right thing but they both know that it would be useless on him. And yet she tries anyway.

Without a word of response, Mikoto pushes herself up and heads for the door to leave.

"Mother, wait."

She stops dead in her tracks when she heard that. She was right in front of the door, just about to place her hand on the knob when he called for her. Looking back at her son, Itachi pushes himself up. She readied herself to assist him at any moment he needs it but like always he doesn't. Once up, not looking at her and with his hand against his forehead like he's trying to deal with the pain of his throbbing head, he asks her to clarify, "Deidara and Naruto-kun found me?"

Confused, she answers, "Yes, they did."

"Did they see the murderer? Are they okay?"

Mikoto hesitated when she heard that question. Thinking about it, she remembers how those two boys look when they came back with Itachi's body alive and whole. She wanted to think that the reason why they looked the way they did was because of the sight of Kabuto's body but she knew in her gut that it was a lot more than that.

Knowing that her son needs to know, she tells him truthfully, "They asked me to tell them when you wake up so they could talk to you in private. They claim they didn't see the murderer but when they came back, they looked like they did."

In other words, they looked like they saw a ghost – is the thought that runs through Itachi's head when he heard that. It surprised him actually. If they saw a ghost then they must have seen Orochimaru but they came back in one piece without getting hurt. Either they were extremely lucky or maybe it wasn't Orochimaru they saw. They probably saw…

"Send them up quickly."

It surprised Mikoto that her son sounded demanding just now. Demanding and desperate. But she quickly grabs the door and rushes out to get the boys. While in Itachi's mind, he is a bit on the panic side. If Deidara and Naruto come in contact at all with their departed loved ones, then they too would feel the need to be with them and possibly want to commit suicide to be with them. He remembers Orochimaru telling him that the other ghosts didn't want their loved ones to die after knowing what became of Madara but after the so many people that have died already, Deidara and Naruto will get their wish if they declare it.

In less than a minute Mikoto left to get the other children, there is a knock on Itachi's door. During that short minute, Itachi was allowing his mind to progress and think of everything that happened and how he could keep Deidara and Naruto from wanting to die. Madara may not count since he was the only one in this house to begin with but so far all who have been left alone were later found dead. Juugo went into the basement by himself and Kisame locked himself in the bathroom. Itachi was with Kabuto at the time, but that only proves that each person dies one at a time. More than likely, they all have one last moment together with their loved ones and then they kill themselves. Another person with them would definitely try to stop them. Heck, Itachi was standing between the businessmen and the psycho ghost in the barn, wasn't he?

And yet, his life was spared.

Why? Not only was his life spared but he's the only one who get 'visits' from the ghosts before they encounter their lovers. Why Itachi and not someone else? Orochimaru said that he needed to know something before he dies but what? What does he need to know that would make every ghost want to give him every horrifying moment his little brother went through as he was losing his mind? What is he supposed to gain from all of those memories?

"Itachi?" Deidara calls from the other side of the door.

The Uchiha heir replies, "Come in."

On his reply, both blondes open the door just a creak at first and the expressions on their face are curious but very uneasy and shaken up from whatever it is they saw in the barn. They see him as much as he sees them and as soon Naruto sees the upright, awake Uchiha he shoves the door open, rushes past Deidara, and instantly leans over the edge of the bed to say to him, "Before I become completely insane, there is just one thing I need you to clarify with me." Itachi didn't react to the teenager's sudden appearance right in his face and he remains as emotionless as possible like always while Deidara hastily gets in and closes the door to try and prevent anyone down stairs to hear their conversation. With more seriousness and entreating for an answer, Naruto really does look like he's trying to remain as sane as possible as he slowly and easily asks, "Was everything that Kisame said true? Are there really ghosts here?"

Itachi didn't answer to that question right away. He only stares at the blonde for a moment before looking down at the ground, almost in guilt. Deidara worries about the long brunette and he walks over to the bed as well, standing next to it. He wants to say something, pleading just like Naruto that it wasn't true. That what happened to him was nothing more than him going mad due being stuck in a summer home with no way out and an insane murderer out in the woods. But the longer Itachi doesn't answer, the more he believes that he really was possessed by a body and what he learned as he heard a voice screaming and laughing like a maniac in his head.

With his eyes casted down, Deidara asks, "Kabuto was killed by Orochimaru." Naruto's azure eyes widen to the size of entrée plates when he heard that as Itachi's finger twitches at the sound. Both of them turn to look at the long haired blonde's down-casted expression as he looks back up at the Uchiha and asks, "Wasn't he, un?" Naruto looks back at the Uchiha, his eyes pleading more for an answer as Itachi remains silent for just a moment longer.

"Yes, I saw him," he finally replies.

Pain instantly appears on Deidara's face when he heard that and Naruto now feels as if he can no longer breathe from the absolute shock of the Uchiha's words. Gripping his fists at his side, Deidara feels as though his heart breaking and someone is shamelessly stomping on the remains. When he was possessed, it was like his mind was fused with the one who possessed him. He learned the basics of what was going on but he knows what really happened to Madara, Juugo, and Kisame. He knows that those they lost a year ago have returned and he knows why those three died. Naruto, he was told nothing, but the memory of what happened before they returned back to this house and what he saw in the barn all come back to him and it's causing his body to shake uncontrollably and his eyes to grow as wide as the ghost he saw.

"Th-Then…they're all…back?" Itachi and Deidara look back at the youngest one of them all and they see Naruto gripping onto the sheets for his own salvation. His voice stuttering and hesitant for even him to believe the words that are coming out from his own mouth. "E-Every w-one of th-them…D-D-Did they…k-kill them…?"

For Itachi, the last time he saw Naruto in such a vulnerable state was a year ago at Kyuubi's funeral. The boy would be shaking so much he could hardly talk. He would be gripping Juugo's side, trembling, eyes wide, and everything that was said to him made him jump like a frightened animal surrounded by animals that would attack, kill, and eat him like a little bear cub without a mother to protect him. The Uchiha heir may have been dead since the death of Sasuke but that doesn't mean he didn't notice what the death of everyone else was doing to the others. Kyuubi's death happened after Sasuke and to the Uzumaki who lost his best friend first, to lose his brother made the spiky blonde to just lose his mind, throw anonymous objects at walls just to break something, and then curl up into a ball in a corner to rock himself back to a happy place. If it weren't for the others, Izuna mostly, Naruto would've done just that and be sent to asylum to be medicated for his instability – like Sasuke should have been going through for his islophobia.

"Naruto-kun?" Itachi reaches for the spiky blonde's head but the second his finger even bend a hair on his head, the Uzumaki flinches and shrinks as if the Uchiha's touch were acid against his skin. Itachi retracts his hand as the Uzumaki teenager is now quivering more than ever. In his eyes, he understands and he knows that right now he's the last person Naruto would ever want comfort from. He asks the other blonde, "What happened to him?"

As worried as he is about the teenager, Deidara replies, "He's been like this since we decided to come back, un. Something just landed on the car as we were driving and he was the first and only one to see what it was, un." He pauses, waiting for a response from the Uchiha but all he gets is a questioning look, secretly asking him what Naruto saw. In truth, he really doesn't want to say it – not when Naruto is like this. So he sits on the edge of the bed with the teenager and rubs his hands on both sides of the spiky blonde's arms. Naruto did not flinch away from his touch. With a heavy sigh, Deidara admits, "It was a body he found, un. And he said its hand was pointing directly to the house, un."

When Itachi heard that, his eyes widen to one of the widest size anyone has seen his eyes become. A body that lands on a car and points back to the summer home. Only one description fits that.

'_Kyuubi?'_

Kyuubi brought Deidara and the others back? Was he trying to prevent Kabuto's death because he knew Orochimaru was on a rampage? That scientist mentioned that the other ghosts don't want them to die so was that Kyuubi was trying to do? However, Orochimaru mentioned a Shinigami and a Shinigami's deal. If the deal consists of the living meeting with the departed loved ones again and then feeling the need to be with them forever, the living would gladly die and the ghosts would accept it regardless if they didn't want such a thing before. Was that why when Sasuke choked Itachi, he made sure they didn't look at each other in the eye? But if Naruto already saw Kyuubi then is he…the next victim?

"Did he only see the hand?" Itachi hastily asks. It surprises Deidara just as much as Itachi's desperate command startled his mother.

"He didn't see his face, un." Then turning to the boy's well-being, Deidara tries to comfort him making hushing sounds and rubbing the teenager's arm in rhythm with his cooing.

Hearing that answer, it greatly relieves the Uchiha. So long as Naruto didn't see Kyuubi's face then maybe he's fine. The theory of there being a curse to all who see the faces of their departed love is what it is – a theory. Itachi has no other evidence to back it up, especially not when Kabuto saw Orochimaru. That business man practically jumped out of his skin when he saw him. Maybe it only happens to those who actually care for those they lost and also feels guilty for what happened to them? So then it's their sorrow and their guilt that drives the living to take their own life. Orochimaru also mentioned about there being proof up in the attic. Maybe a more detailed explanation to what's really going on and how it's happening will be there. But one look at the vulnerable teenager and it insists Itachi to give them just a little bit more time before he pushes his luck and really makes Naruto lose his mind. He needs someone to comfort him right now and if that wasn't the only reason why Itachi shouldn't take Deidara with him, there might als be something up there that'll be too much for anyone to see unless they're completely ready and willing to face it.

To Itachi, he's the only one for that.

"Itachi? What are you doing, un?" the long hair blonde asks as the Uchiha removes his comforter and swings his legs to the edge.

He replies, "There is something I need to check." He tries to stand up but Deidara grabs his shirt and keeps him down before he lifted his butt even an inch off the mattress.

"Tell me where you're going first, un," the long hair blonde demands with such authority.

Keeping his voice even and his face blank again, Itachi answers, "I'll be fine, Deidara. Just stay with Naruto-kun until I get back." He grabs the blonde's hand to pry it off but Deidara just regraps his shirt again, with more force, and there's suddenly more fierce in his eyes.

"Just because you're planned to be the last of us to die doesn't mean you can leave us in the dark while we wait around for death to take us, un!"

Itachi's eyes widen a lot more than the last time and his mouth became a solid straight line to those words. Naruto, having just enough sense of what's happening around him, his body stops shaking for just a moment as both the Uchiha and the clay sculpture are in a staring contest; one shocked nearly speechless with what was said and the other practically demanding for information with his eyes.

What…did he just say? How does Deidara know if Itachi is supposed to be the last to die of them all?

"What do you know, Deidara?" the Uchiha heir asks, calming his nerves and eyeing the blonde suspiciously.

Deidara tries to remain strong and not willing to backing down any time soon but he knows he needs to explain his words. "When I was possessed, I heard a voice mentioning that you needed to know something, un. Something very important about Sasuke, but in order to understand that something you needed more memories than what you already saw, un." Then it becomes his turn to play detective. "Was that why you've been acting weird, blanking out, or having seizures? Were you seeing visions about Sasuke, un?"

Hearing that name being mentioned, the spiky blonde's body stops shaking completely and he looks up at the two adults – eyes widen with surprise and curiosity. For now, he forgets his own little tantrum and listens intensively to the conversation; keeping his mouth shut and his ears wide open.

To Itachi, he should no longer hide this event that's been happening to him frequently. It'll be useless to continue doing so anyway at this point. "I was. Of all the moments my father tortured him to madness." Both blondes let out a silent gasp when they heard that. Itachi pays them no mind. Right now, he can't even look at them without the guilt and shame appearing on his features, as well as the small bit of anger and bitterness. "I don't know what I need to understand from all of it. All I'm being reminded of are the moments I could have prevented if I had never left for that damn university." His hand rises up to his face and hiding his eyes away, he presses his fingers against each temple and both blondes can see the Uchiha bite his lip in his frustration. "Curse the fates. For what I did, I deserve to die. No one else should die before me."

For what…_he_ did? What did he do?

"Itachi?" Deidara, as the only one who can use his voice between him and the Uzumaki child, calls to ask, "What are you saying, un?" His voice full of concern and worry but also cautious and nervous.

Now everything that Itachi tried to prevent himself from thinking about but always came back to haunt him, that now has to be shared into the light. Or he can still choose to hide it again when everyone's very lives are now at stake. All because of him, his friends are dying one by one. If he had never done this heinous deed, then maybe things would not be what they are now.

"It's nothing," he decides to reply. But that does not please Deidara in the least.

"The hell it is!" he yells. The Uchiha casually lowers his hand when he heard that declaration. Seeing Deidara now, he is really angry. Not just the sweet, motherly-affection kind of angry. Like really angry. Like he's sick and tired of everything that's happening around him and most importantly, sick and tired of his friend's crappy loner attitude. "Itachi, you need to tell us what's going on right now! I want to know just as much as you what it is you're supposed to understand about Sasuke! I may not have been the closest of friends with Sasuke as I am with you but if you can't explain what the hell is going on to me, then at least do so for Naruto's sake!" The spiky blonde flinched a bit when the attention is turned to him. Itachi spares him a moment glance before Deidara recaptures his attention, a little less excitement than how sounded before but still upset over all, "Sasuke was his best friend and I think he deserves to know whatever it is that involves him, un. You can't keep leave us in the dark anymore if we all intend to survive this night, un. Maybe if you tell us why you think you deserve to die, we can help you, un. We are all that's left, un. We need to work and help each other if we want to see the light of tomorrow, un."

He's right. He's absolutely right and Itachi cannot deny that fact any longer. What he's been holding back inside may as well be the key that will determine all of their fates tonight. Itachi knows that he can't keep it hidden any longer. He needs to come clean. He needs to confess to his sins.

"I deserve to die not for the reason you think. It's part of it but what I did to Sasuke was much worst. What I did to him, I did it twice. I did it right before I left for college and the night before I left him alone to go to that bank. I keep thinking, over and over again that if I hadn't done it, he wouldn't have died. I started his phobia and I killed him." His words sound heavy and very serious. He honestly believes that what he did to Sasuke is the very cause of everything.

But what did he do?

"Itachi, what did you do, un?"

This is it. He must say it now or forever hold his peace and it'll cast them all into hell that should only await him. "Both times, I slept with my brother." Looking at them both dead serious in the eye, Itachi can see the absolute complete shock appearing in Deidara's and Naruto's eyes. "I bed him and then I left him."

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**And I believe I will leave it at that. The next chapter will be a flashback chapter. Hopefully I can get that done in more than half the time it took me to finally update this story!**

**But how was this chapter? Bad? Good? Iffy? Criticism is welcomed! Till next time!**


	20. What Have I Done? Pt 1

**A/N: Hello people! Wow, it's been a while. This story especially but I've decided to update this little flashback chapter even though it's not entirely finished. It's half-way finished. I was thinking about combining both moments into one chapter but forget it. I take too long and you guys deserve a chapter. Now warning. You might get angry at me near the end. You might get happy with the slight lemon scene but the reason behind it, you'll hate me for it. Hopefully not too much to quite reading this story.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. I'll leave it in Kishimoto's hands for now since he's back on my good side. For those up-to-date, you would know why. Thank you all for the lovely reviews and your generous patience. I adore all of your reviews and I am so grateful to you all! Thank you and enjoy this chapter, as much as you can.**

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Ch. 18: What Have I Done? Pt 1

_**Knock, knock**_

"_Sasuke?" Itachi calls from outside his brother's room but what he gets in return is silence. "Sasuke, are you in there?" Forget about permission! The older Uchiha brother grasps the door knob and twists it open. What he sees inside is nothing more than his little brother with earphones over his ears, blasting __**Disturbed**__ music into his brain while also playing around with his computer. Unlike what happened the last time when Fugaku told Itachi about his leaving the Uchiha mansion, Sasuke has his music on so loud Itachi can hear it from across the room and it completely cuts the younger Uchiha off from the rest of the world. That and a little help from the computer. From what Itachi can see, he's doing more research on Shinigamis again._

"_Otouto," he calls again, approaching the boy. It's amazing to him that he hasn't notice him yet. Sure his back is to the door but Sasuke could at least have noticed him as he was walking over. "Oh dear little brother…" Still nothing and he's standing right next to him. Guess there's only one thing to do then._

_Itachi lightly grasps the top of the headphones over his little brother's head and he pulls it down. Usually when someone gets their music taken away, one would look to the side to see who it was and sometimes, there will be a face. But Sasuke somehow knew that he would have to look up to see his intruder. When he does, his older brother says one thing to him as he looks down at him._

"_Go out with me."_

_That question sure took Sasuke off guard. "Uh? Do you have any idea how weird you sound just now, aniki?"_

"_At least now I have your attention." The older Uchiha allows the headphones to rest on his brother's shoulders and he walks to the bed. Sasuke had to try really hard to resist the urge to roll his eyes as he goes to his iTunes and pauses his music. He spins around on his chair to face his brother and he leans his cheek on his hand that has his elbow leaning against the armrest._

"_What do you want, aniki?" he asks, a little annoyed that he was interrupted from his 'research'._

_Itachi answers, "Exactly as I just said. Let's get out of the house for a bit. It's been a while since we did something together."_

_Sasuke had to raise a brow at this offer. Not that he doesn't like this opportunity to spend time with his brother. It's just that he is being given this opportunity at all._

"_You're telling me that the old man doesn't have something for you to do? That's a first."_

"_Shocking isn't it? Father has a meeting tonight and mother is going to accompany him. It'll just be you and me tonight and who knows how long those meetings last."_

_The last time their parents had a meeting, they didn't come home till about one or two in the morning. That means for Itachi's and Sasuke's case, and it's only late afternoon right now, they have plenty of time to themselves._

"_Yeah, really." Sasuke turns back around to his computer and he types away on his keyboard as he asks, "Did he say what kind of meeting with who or does he have an appointment with the headmaster of your new college?" And just like that, things became silent between the two brothers. Only the sound of typing relieved the room of silence._

_Indeed. Today is the last day Itachi has left to spend the night in his own home. By tomorrow, he will be on a ten hour drive to his new school. As far as Sasuke is concerned, Itachi didn't mention anything about not going but he also didn't say anything about going either._

_At the moment, Itachi really doesn't want to talk about this right now. He says to him, "Either way, it gets father and mother out of the house. You have a choice of either going out with me or staying home."_

_Not looking away from his computer or slowing on his typing speed, Sasuke dares to ask, "What would happen if I say 'stay home'?" He knows better than anyone that when his brother makes a choice on what to do, there's always something in the second choice he doesn't want you to pick or it will make your life a living hell._

_Since he knows him so well, Itachi just flats out and says, "Then I will invite our friends to have a responsible drinking party." As soon as he said that, Sasuke nearly crushed the keyboard under his hands as he slams them down._

_Then all too quickly, he takes his headphones off and jumps out of his chair to 'appear' in front of his aniki and grab a firm grip on his collar. "Have you forgotten the last time there was a drinking party that included Kyuubi and Kisame?" he asks with a very drear and dark expression on his face. The wide smirk and twitching brow also gives the look a nice touch. "Not only did you 'grown ups' run out of liquor in a blink of an eye, you sent the two drunkest people to go to a bar and get more! Aren't you guys still paying for the damages?"_

_Oh Itachi remembers that day all too well. Like how his little brother ghastly reminded, Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Naruto were the only ones who didn't drink of their own choice that night. Not just because they were both underage but because they didn't want to with two very bad examples acting out in front of them. However the people who really weren't drunk that night were Sasuke, Suigetsu, Sasori, and Itachi. Sasori and Itachi can hold their liquor, Suigetsu apparently can too since Kisame tried to force some of his drink down his throat, and no one ever forced Sasuke to drink. Or when they tried, he was able to get away and Itachi also helped in a way. Kyuubi forced Naruto to drink and he was wasted so fast, it reminded everyone of an incident they witnessed of another minor accidently taking a sip of alcohol. It was Sasuke's, Naruto's, and Suigetsu's middle school graduation ceremony. Let's just say that the name was Rock Lee, a fellow classmate who __**accidently**__ took a sip of his father's drink, and the Uchihas and some other people were the only lucky ones to escape before all hell broke loose. Plus that experience and the experience of Kisame almost doing the same thing to a bar, Sasuke is a little jumpy about drinking parties and the people drinking. That's why Itachi thought of the idea of drinking party as the second choice. The boy has no choice but to chose the first one if he doesn't want to witness another 'incident'._

"_The expenses have all been paid for from Kisame's own wallet," Itachi explains. "That issue is in the past. Now, are you going to hang out with your aniki and your aniki alone for the rest of the day or do you wish to expose liquor to our friends again?" How the boy tensed up and every hair on his body standing up is a big enough hint that Itachi's got him._

_But just to be sure, "You wouldn't," Sasuke dares._

"_You know I would."_

_Damn, why does he have to make everything so freakin difficult?_

_Sasuke first gives his older brother a dead expression, added with a death glare and Itachi just sits there, waiting patiently for the boy to give in. Didn't take too terribly long really. "Fine! You win this round, you cheat."_

"_I am not a cheat. You're just easy to mess with."_

_This time with a vein pulsing on his head, Sasuke grips the collar tighter and hisses, "Be grateful I'm only doing this because I don't want to get arrested for some moron's mistake. Otherwise, you'd just lost me."_

_Itachi just smirks in his victory._

* * *

"_So have you already finished packing, yet?"_

_Itachi didn't expect to suddenly hear that. It prevented him from eating the chocolate and vanilla swirl in his hand._

"_I'm sorry?" he questions, making sure he heard his little brother right._

_Both brothers are sitting on the bench in the park as a rest from their eventful day. After Sasuke was ready to go, the brothers basically just walked around the city. For a day together, they didn't know what to do exactly. First they went to the mall to see if there was anything for them to buy. Nothing really since all they bought was a late lunch. So for a little bit more excitement, Itachi took his little brother to an arcade. At first he was reluctant to go since he wasn't a kid anymore, but when Itachi said that he would pay for the boy's tokens and play whatever game he wanted, that changed his mind. The truth was Sasuke doesn't think arcades are kiddy or they're boring. He loves them. They're just expensive so when someone else says they're going to play, he's all for it. The only reason why he was disinclined in the first place was probably because he doesn't have enough money on his own to pay for the games he wants to play. They played some games that included winning tickets but mostly video games like House of the Dead and Dance Dance Revolution. Sasuke was a beast on House of Dead but he was the one who had to keep putting tokens in to stay in the game and when it came to dancing, both brothers were pretty even and they sure attracted a crowd doing it. After the arcade, it was starting to get dark so before they decide to go home and pop in a movie with popcorn and a salad, since someone needs his tomatoes, they stopped for a short break in the park. Itachi got an ice cream since he wanted something sweet and Sasuke just got black coffee for him. As soon as they got comfortable, Sasuke pops up that question._

_The teenager faces his brother and accuses, "Don't play dumb with me. That is something you're not good at. It's already too late for you to say 'no' to the old man or tell him you're gay so the only other option is you're going to the university. So my question is have you finished packing yet?"_

_Itachi may have caught him earlier to convince the boy on going on this little outing with him, but that doesn't mean that Sasuke can't do the same to him. He's right, however. Itachi hasn't said a word about telling his parents 'no' or doing anything at all about not going. The only reason for that would be because he is going._

_The Uchiha heir returns his little brother's stare for just a bit longer. Feeling the adorable intensity of the boy's own stare and then looking away. "I haven't started." Then he starts eating._

_Appearing for one second and gone the next, sadness showed itself on Sasuke's face before regaining his composure and raising a brow in confusion. "You gotta leave first thing in the morning tomorrow right? You planning on staying up all night to pack?"_

_Itachi looks back at the boy and defends, "It doesn't take me long at all to pack a few garments. I hardly have any suits for the university that I'm required to wear. Father offered some money for me to do that."_

"_So the old fart paid you to buy monkey suits? Well isn't that a laugh?" Then he takes a long sip of his coffee as his older brother eyes him suspiciously. Itachi couldn't help but notice but when his little brother said that, he expressed it so bitterly and snappy and almost with a hint of…betrayal._

_He asks, "Is there something you wish to say, otouto?"_

_Sasuke removes his now empty cup away from his mouth and he answers, "Why should I? You're going anyway. Nothing I say will change anything. You just reminded me of the trouble I'm going to have to go through with packing up and moving out of that damn house when I tell them I'm gay."_

_Itachi ignores that last part. He's more interested in what his little brother is so reluctant to easily say. By then, he was already done with his cone. "You can still tell me. It's not healthy to keep things in."_

"_Who's keeping what in? I got nothing to hide and you of all people should know that I'm not known for doing stuff like that."_

"_There's a first time for everything, little brother," he says this time more firmly. He moves a little closer to his little brother and tells him, "Tell me what's bugging you and I'll tell them over the phone as soon as we get back that I'm gay."_

_Sasuke looked skeptical to that. "Yeah, right. I always thought lying was in your __repertoire__ but I never thought you would lie to me about something like this." Then he gets up and walks away, throwing his coffee cup in the trash with a rather loud __**bam**__. He got the people's, the so few that were there, attention._

"_Sasuke!" his brother calls but the boy doesn't slow in his steps at all. Oh damn. Itachi gets up from the bench, tosses his trash in the dumpster; softer than his little brother, and tries to walk fast to catch up to him. It didn't take too terribly long since he does have longer legs than his shorter, younger brother. He grasps Sasuke's arm to stop him and says to him, "Since when have I ever lied to you? You know that you're the last person I ever want to do that too; especially about this." Then he waits for a response. He doesn't get one. All he sees is his little brother defiantly keeping his gaze away from him and from the angle Itachi can see, the boy is biting his lip in his own frustrations. So with a softer and gentler tone but still serious, he adds, "I wouldn't go unless I absolutely need to but I'm searching, otouto. I'm looking for my reason to be somewhere. I stayed here as long as I have because you needed someone to take care of you. You became my reason but you're growing up now. You don't need me anymore."_

_Sasuke mumbles, "And what about your friends? You're just going to leave them?"_

_Listening to him, the older Uchiha lets out a sigh before responding, "They have each other. They don't need me poking around in their lives and I'm not abandoning them, Sasuke. I'm just going to disappear for a little bit, until I find it."_

_For a moment, there's silence between them. Sasuke clenches his teeth together and Itachi can tell from his grasp on the boy that he's shaking. Shaking because of his anger or shaking because he's trying to control it?_

"_Do you really have to look so far for your reason?" he mumbles, almost too soft for the older brother to hear._

"_Sasuke?"_

_Before he knew it, the teenager sharply turns around and then uses his other hand to grasp the back of his brother's neck. He pulls Itachi lower so that their lips could meet half way as he was coming up. While Sasuke's eyes are closed, Itachi's are wide with absolute shock. His little brother…is kissing him. From the feel of the boy's soft, warm lips against his own, Itachi's mind becomes a total blank. This kiss, it sparks something inside of him. Something really, really nice. But before he could confirm it further, Sasuke breaks the kiss and looks directly into those wide eyes._

"_Couldn't I be your reason again?"_

_Instead of waiting for an answer, Sasuke yanks his arm away from Itachi's weakened grip and continues on his way leaving. For the moment, all Itachi could do was stand there. Maybe for the first time in his life, he doesn't know what to immediately do._

_Sasuke just kissed him. He KISSED him! Itachi can still feel those warm lips against his own and when he licks them, he can still taste his little brother and it's by far the sweetest thing he has ever tasted. He desired more of it. He wanted so much more. But he shouldn't be feeling like this. He shouldn't be yearning for the taste of his brother, let alone liking that kiss they shared. They're brothers for god's sake! But at the moment, does he care?_

_Hell no._

_Quickly after a long time recuperating, Itachi starts his pursuit on his little brother again._

_Unfortunately for Itachi, Sasuke was able to get far. Itachi had to take several turns before he was out of the park they were in. When he got out, he sees the teenager already stepping on the bus at the stop the next block over. Even back then, Itachi didn't have a car. The two brothers walked from their home and took the bus to get to the places they went to today. He only had a car when he went college because it was a gift from his father for going to ANBU. 'Shit' would have been the perfect expression to state how the older brother felt when he saw the bus close its doors and then start driving off. Itachi even sees Sasuke sitting down at the side chairs, his back facing the park. Was the boy really going to avoid and ignore Itachi in case he decided to chase after him? Or was he trying to hide something he didn't want Itachi to see if he did?_

_Well whatever the reason, it doesn't change the fact that Sasuke didn't see Itachi outside the part and he didn't see Itachi take out his cell to make a phone call._

"_Kyuubi, I need a ride home."_

* * *

_When Sasuke got home, the lights were out like how he suspected. The servants probably all went home at this time of night by now and like Itachi said, his parents won't be home until much later. That gives the younger Uchiha plenty alone time for the moment. Maybe it would have been better for the Uchiha boy to have stayed at a friend's house but who would he stay with? He knows that Sasori, Deidara, Kisame, and Suigetsu are more likely to be either making out or having sex on the couch and he does not want to even try to sleep through all of that. Orochimaru and Kabuto would still be working and there is no way in hell Sasuke would ever spend the night with them. Not when Orochimaru still looks at his ass from time to time, even with Kabuto there as an audience! Kimimaro's place or even his uncles would have been better, since Kyuubi is as close to Itachi as Sasuke is with Naruto and would most likely spill the beans to him where he is. But then Kimimaro or Izuna would ask Sasuke hundreds of questions of 'what happened' and would more likely make him spill something out that he really doesn't want to deal with right now. Plus, they both live the farthest._

_Though that's the main thing. Sasuke doesn't want to see or deal with anyone right now. Not yet, or he'll crack._

_However, when the boy walked up to his home, opened the front door, and entered as the door closed behind him, someone catches Sasuke by surprised when his wrist is grasped and then pins him to the hallway wall. Saying that Sasuke was caught off guard when that happened and then he was shocked to see his worked-up brother as the one who pinned him to a wall would an understatement._

"_Welcome back," Itachi greets him._

_But only for so long._

"_The hell? How did you get home before me?" the boy asks, his voice sounding a little high._

_Itachi replies, "I called Kyuubi. He drives faster than any community bus. You know that."_

_Faster than any community bus? How about faster than a NASCAR driver? That guy is insane when it comes to needing to get somewhere fast and he's able to do it without getting into a single car accident. Probably lots of practice on those car racing games he was obsessed with when he was a kid. But it was traits like these that made Itachi and Kyuubi so similar._

_Then Sasuke starts struggling. "Get off me!"_

_But Itachi stands firm. "Sasuke, why did you kiss me?" That caught the boy off guard._

"_Huh?"_

_Keeping his patience, which there wasn't much left since he was the one waiting in this dark house for his little brother to come home, he repeats, "I'm asking you why you kissed me."_

_Yeah, like Sasuke is going to answer that question so easily. Damn it! This was what he was trying avoid!_

"_So just because you asked, I'm expected to answer? Maybe I just kissed you because I got nothing else better to do."_

"_Now who's the liar here? We both know you don't do things without reason. Sasuke, just answer me truthfully. Why did you kiss me?"_

_But the boy doesn't answer right away. Sasuke doesn't even look at him anymore. He moved his eyes to the ground and kept them there for a moment before he spoke again. Damn, just get it over with then. "Because I don't want you to leave." His answer startles the older Uchiha brother but he keeps his mouth shut as his little brother finishes, now unable to look at him in the face after confessing that little truth. "You told me I was your reason to why you've stayed as long as you have. That's probably why after you graduated high school when you were thirteen, you refused to go to any colleges outside of this city. Back then, the old man allowed you to attend a college here because you wanted to since he wasn't such a pain in the ass back then as he is now. You're right I can take care of myself just fine but that's only because I knew if I was ever in trouble…if I ever needed someone to be there for me…I could always count on you to be that person. As long as I had you, I don't need anything or anyone else. But now you're going to obey that asshole and get as far away from me as you can because you're looking for __**your**__ reason to be somewhere. Give me a fuckin break!" Looking back at the startled Uchiha, Sasuke declares more strongly and with anger, "I kissed you because since you're never coming back anyway, might as well take my chances while I still got them! At least now, I don't have to live with you thinking I'm disgusting and repulsive for having feelings for my own brother – the most vulgar crime anyone could ever commit!"_

"_It's only vulgar to those who think like that."_

_That catches Sasuke off guard, but what really takes the cake is when Itachi leans down and plants on his lips a soft, gentle kiss – a kiss he gives of his own will with no hesitation or ill-feelings. Sasuke's onyx eyes widen to the size of entrée plates when his older brother did that and his eyes remain so even when Itachi breaks the kiss and looks at him in the eye again, their foreheads just ghostly touching each other._

_Seeing the major confusion and surprise in those onyx orbs, Itachi says, "Before you ask, I kissed you because there is something I need to know. That wasn't vulgar to me in the least. Was it to you?"_

_No. It was the complete opposite of vulgar. But the boy is unable to say anything right now. For some reason, his voice just froze and his mind is a blank. Like the kiss stole his voice and his trail of thought all together. But at least he can move his head._

_When Itachi sees his little brother shaking his head, he releases one wrist and his hand goes to cup the boy's cheek and his thumb lightly rubs against his bottom lip. "Would it be cliché of me to say after that little fling you just pulled I found my reason to be somewhere?"_

_Gazing into those dark eyes, even though Sasuke really can't see very well but he can feel them pouring into his soul, and feeling that breath just ticking his lips, Sasuke feels like he's completely under his older brother's mercy. He actually feels like his body is on autopilot when he replies, "A bit."_

_The older Uchiha smiles softly hearing a very Sasuke-like answer. He leans over to the boy's ear and whispers, "Are you willing to do anything to keep me here?" Then he does magical things to that ear. Things that begin to turn Sasuke's face hot and make small little noises escape his mouth. It doesn't help much when Itachi has his body so close to his and he has a leg between Sasuke's._

_Damn, does he know what he's doing?_

_With his free hand sliding down Sasuke's arm, Itachi breathes against the boy's moist ear, "Sasuke?" as if waiting for him to reply with words._

_Now what the younger Uchiha wants to know is why the hell is he getting aroused up like this so easily? He usually has more will power than this but since it is Itachi, it's his greatest weakness. His free hand shakingly and hesitantly rises up to his older brother's shoulder and grasps onto the fabric of his shirt. He asks, "Would it make a difference if I answer 'yes'?"_

_Itachi can just hear the breathlessness in the boy's voice and some of those whimpers earlier, they were adorable and they sounded so sweet to his ears. Funny how he only did so little and his baby brother is being turned on by it. Does he affect him that much? Pulling away, he looks down at the teenager and thanks to his eyes having adjusted well to the darkness and some of the moonlight streaming in from the windows of the living room, he can see Sasuke's curious onyx eyes coaxed over with lust. Wow, that much already?_

"_Yes," he replies._

_Hearing that answer, Sasuke's hand moves then to the back of Itachi's neck and he says, "Then yes, I am willing to do anything to keep you here, with me."_

"_How far?" Itachi asks again. He just has to know. How desperate is this boy? He's given him the hints the boy needs to know what he's implying. Would he even be desperate enough to do __**that**__?_

_Just by looking into those eyes, words really didn't need to be said. "As far as you want me." Then Sasuke pulls him down so he could just reach the older man when he tip-toes to kiss his lips to prove that he is indeed serious._

* * *

_Now when Itachi was riding in that super-fast car ride with Kyuubi, plus waiting in his dark home, he was calculating and planning in his head on what it was he was going to do. One thing is for certain about him, Itachi never does something unless he has a plan of action or a plan of escape. So he thought and thought about how to handle his little brother. Almost like Naruto, Sasuke can be predictable at times but comparing Itachi to other people his little brother associates with, catching him off guard doesn't happen quite as often. That kiss will be the only thing that will tonight since that little move was a bit spontaneous. So he thought about the goods and the bads of what'll happen when he makes this or that move – as if he were playing chest. The advantage he has is he knows his little brother so he knows what to do to make things go his way. He thought of what'll happen if he found out his brother was both desperate and willing and what'll happen if Sasuke acts like his rebellious self; head-strong, but still desperate none the less. Whatever path Sasuke decides to take when Itachi makes his move, nothing would change the end results and that would be him still leaving the next day._

_Itachi's not only smart but he's also cautious. He knows if he tries to explain to Sasuke that this was a dangerous path he was choosing, and an impossible one too no doubt, then who knows how extravagant he'll act upon it. His little brother is known to be that of the outrageous type anyway. So telling him what they're both feeling in reaction to that kiss is dangerous and something society would never understand or accept would be dangerous and disastrous in it of itself._

_So he decided to give his little brother this one night. This one night to have if he so chooses._

_In twenty minutes flat, the two brothers have moved from the wall to Sasuke's room and with the clothes already shed and scattered on the floor, the boy's choking gasps and moans are what fills the room as Itachi's membrane is entering his ass while he's sitting on the older man's lap. Their bodies hot and sweaty, their lips bruised with kisses, Itachi's hair undone, and tears peaking in Sasuke's eyes from that huge cock. It's not like they didn't prepare him for it but hot damn, no three fingers could ever prepare him properly for this!_

_Sasuke has his nails digging into Itachi's shoulders and his head is leaning on top of his brother's. By now, he's trying to grit his teeth together to deal with the pain of being stretched apart farther than he's ever been before in his life as for Itachi, he's panting and trying to deal with this sweet blessed feeling coursing through his veins from this._

_His little brother is so deliciously tight! There should be a law against how tight someone is allowed to be because this just feels so good and so…right. But he can't think like that. It'll lead him straight into ruins and he must not give in! But it's difficult when most of the time they've been doing this, Itachi has actually been enjoying it and wanting more._

"_Nii-san."_

_Then he hears that name and affects him right down to the core. Looking up, he sees Sasuke looking down at him with a face that shakes him even more. Sasuke's eyes looking so tender and so loving with tears of pleasure and pain rolling down his cheek like clear sparkling rivers in the moonlight. And a smile matching the tenderness and joy in his eyes. Then with a voice so sweet, he says, "I love you, so much." He leans his forehead against Itachi's and he just looks so…happy right now._

_Oh god, what has he done?_

"_Sasuke," he calls. Opening his eyes again to look, he ends up reclosing them when Itachi gives him a firm passionate kiss._

_Itachi asks himself the question 'what has he done' for two reasons. Reason one, he's ruined the boy. He's giving him false hopes and thoughts that with this, they'll always be together now and forever when they can't. No matter how right or perfect this feels, it can never be. It's ruin them both. How can they live in this world with feelings like this? Reason two, it has been confirmed. Itachi has fallen in love with his little brother._

_The force of the kiss causes them to lie on the bed and there without warning or sounds of content to go on, Itachi pulls out just enough to leave the head in before he slams back in. It caused the boy to break the kiss and moan loudly from the movement and the older Uchiha moves again and again in his own need to claim this withering teenager as his own and to find his prostate._

_When he found it, it only made the older Uchiha more desperate and more determined to make sure that Sasuke feels nothing but the very definition of ecstasy. He wants to make this night worth wild for the both of them and since he's going to hell anyway, he might as well say it._

"_I love you, Sasuke."_

_He whispered it just faintly to his little brother's ear but the boy heard him through the fogs of pleasure and the moans. It brought out another smile to appear on his lips and with his arms already holding Itachi, he holds him tighter and says, "I'm happy."_

_It's a good thing Sasuke can't see his expression right now because while he said that, Itachi reveals nothing but pain and a lot of regret on his face._

'_**Forgive me, Sasuke.'**_

* * *

**I told you would be upset with me. But I swear to the higher power that the next chapter will get better! I am having the moment when Itachi took Sasuke to his uncle's house after he came back, plus the night of Itachi sleeping with Sasuke again before he went to the bank. I swear to you that that scene would be better and I'm debating if I'll have the full lemon in it as well – if that's the other reason why you feel frustrated right now.**

**I'm still a little rusty on the lemons but I will try my hardest! Please bear with me.**

**But how was the chapter? Bad? Good? As frustrating as I thought? Believe me I would be fuming and be wanting to slap Itachi too right now if I was reading this. But these moments are essential to Sasuke's craziness! Anyway, until next time. Tah-tah!**


	21. What Have I Done? Pt 2

**A/N: Hey guys. You wanna know something. I didn't want this to be so long so you know what, here you go! This chapter might break your heart and the next one I swear will make up for it. It's slightly happier but still has that misery in the end. But at least it won't be as much as this chapter.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. I just make up the fanfics and promote my favorite pairing. Kishimoto is still on my good side and I give full rights to him. I just hope with all of my heart that Sasuke and Itachi will continue to get along as well as they are now. Thank you all for those who have reviewed and please keep them coming! I love them all and they encourage me so much! I'm almost done with my WWYDN,S chapter so you may see that tomorrow or just some time soon. Thank you and enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 19: What Have I Done? Pt 2

_To say that Itachi was furious would be the last understatement you could ever make in your life. Right now the older Uchiha is waiting impatiently in his uncles' living room while Sasori and Deidara are examining Sasuke in the other room. He's at the point where if Kyuubi was here, he would know it'll be wise not to mess with him right now – and he's usually the one who's always looking for a good bloodbath. He would take just one look and then make sure Naruto stays clear of Itachi and to keep his mouth shut if he could. Not even his uncles think it's wise to go near him right now. They can just see him planning several ways on how to make his father pay for what he's done to Sasuke. They can also see that Itachi is thinking that he shouldn't be here right now. He should be going to the police and turn his father in, or go to a gun shop and shoot the bastard's head off, or he should be with his little brother, comforting him. The boy was pretty frantic when he was told he had to let go of Itachi so Sasori could examine him. He was screaming, kicking, scratching, and crying. All of his cries were nii-san over and over again. It was heartbreaking and it made the anger in Itachi intensify._

_After rescuing Sasuke from that house, Sasori drove to Madara's and Izuna's house. Even though it'll be the first place Fugaku would look as soon as he gets out of that room, where else could they go when the red-head needs to examine Sasuke as soon as possible to know what's wrong? Maybe Madara's and Izuna's house wasn't the best idea. A hospital would've been better since Sasori only knows medicine as a second major. However, taking Sasuke to a hospital, Fugaku still has legal ownership over him. He could go to the hospital and just take the boy away. But he needs all the medical attention he can get. It's that word 'away' that made the final decision in Itachi's mind. At a hospital, Itachi can't trust them. He can trust Sasori and at least in his uncles' home, even if he does have to wait in a separate room, at least he knows he's not that far away from his little brother if he needs him._

_Right now, it's just him, Madara, Izuna, and Kimimaro with Juugo since they live close by to the uncles. The others are still on their way. After Deidara called Madara to tell him what happened, he reported the happy news of the rescue mission accomplish to the others. However, he did give them all the warning of what might have become to the young Uchiha. He gave that news as a precaution but after seeing how Sasuke reacted when he had to separate from Itachi, his worst fears became realized. Right now, Izuna is sticking to Madara's side, like he's yearning for comfort, and Kimimaro and Juugo look extremely worried for the young Uchiha and his older brother who's still sitting on the master's couch, plotting and his patience wearing thin._

_Then it became too much. He growls and decides to sit up from the couch to head straight for the door. Instantly Madara reacts towards him._

"_Itachi, listen to me. You need to calm down," he tells him, approaching his nephew and leaving his little brother's side. But when he grabbed his arm, Itachi does stop but yanks his arm away from him._

_He snaps, "Don't you dare tell me to calm down!" In his eyes, they're just wild with rage and he truly looks like someone ready to kill his father and anyone who dares to get in his way. No one has ever seen him look this angry before. Izuna actually feels fear just by looking into those demon like eyes while Madara is pretty speechless himself. Kimimaro and Juugo look like they don't know what to do but stand there and hope nothing bad happens._

_Then rushing footsteps can be heard from the hallway outside. Madara's and Izuna's home is an apartment after all. So the next thing that comes after those footsteps, sounding like they came from more than only one or two people, the door is suddenly banged on._

"_Madara, open the door!" That's Naruto it sounds like._

_Hearing his voice, Itachi turns his raging, deadly glare to the door as if it suddenly became his worst enemy than his pathway to going on a full on killing spree. Madara's guard is raised all the way up and looking between the door and his older brother determining, Izuna finally decides to go to the front door and open it. What comes storming in, is not only Naruto and Kyuubi but also Suigetsu, Kisame, Orochimaru, and Kabuto. All of them look frantic and worried, some more than others, and they look sweaty and out of breath like they didn't wait for the elevator and just ran up sixteen flights of stairs to get here. However, those with sharp eyes instantly gain fear when they see Itachi as the first person they see. Izuna got out of the way and sort of hid behind the door since he knows how they would enter his home._

_Naruto, not one of the sharp eyes, looks at the two Uchihas before him and asks breathlessly after a few pants, "Where's Sasuke? Is he alright?"_

_It's wasn't a surprise that he would ask about him as soon as he came in. Sasuke is his childhood friend after all. It's only natural to be worried to death over him, especially after everything else that happened. However, when Itachi heard those questions, it just made his rage worst. He looks down to the ground, his bangs covering his eyes, and his teeth are fritting against one another in pure rage. He's close to acting like a ferocious animal right now and the air has suddenly turned to the very heat of his anger like it's all just pouring out of his pores._

_Alright? After everything he's seen, how can anyone classify Sasuke as 'alright'?_

"_I'll kill him," he mumbles, softly but just loud enough for everyone to hear him. "How dare he…that man…" And by far the scariest thing anyone has ever seen appears on the Uchiha's usual impassive or kind face. His eyes, revealing every spec of anger he has raging inside of him, are wide, his pupils are small, his nostrils flaring, and his teeth bearing as if he were an animal. Then with a voice so deep and so demonic, anyone right now would think that Uchiha Itachi has turned into a true rampaging demon. __**"…doesn't deserve to live!"**_

_Everyone goes into cautious mode. Just in case Kabuto and Kisame put their hands on their lover's shoulders and Juugo not only grasps Kimimaro's hand but also has his arm around his waist. Kyuubi would have done something as well to protect his little brother but Naruto, being one of the dense ones, would start asking questions and just annoy the infuriated Uchiha even more. Although, he is shocked to see such murder intent in the Uchiha's eyes. That's at least something he's not oblivious to. No one has ever seen Itachi act like this before. Not even Kyuubi reached this maximum rage._

_Madara and Izuna probably would have done something as protective as that, however it's Madara's who's close to the long-straight haired Uchiha and thus he must be the one to calm him. Before the younger Uchiha in the living room even thinks about taking a step towards the door, the oldest Uchiha tries to tell him, "Itachi, seriously I need you to calm down."_

_Being the only brave soul to talk to him and the one to say those words, Itachi directs his anger to his first victim. All he can see is red and almost all he can think about is killing. However, he still has some bit of sense left to not kill his uncle so rash._

"_Why should I! While that man breathes-"_

"_We will get him," the man interrupts. "I swear to you, your father will pay dearly for what he's done. You're not the only one who's upset right now. But if you go back to that house and take that man's life, then you might as well give up any chances of HELPING your brother!" With those firm words, he's got him. Itachi's eyes widen again with surprise mixed in with his anger and his mouth forms a straight line. Just to be cautious, Madara takes one step closer to him. "You left Sasuke once already because of that man. Are you going to leave him again by taking your revenge?" He dares to stare deep into Itachi's eyes, being the brave soul to dare go into the lion's den and tame the beast. Everyone is practically holding their breaths now. Rather they know exactly why Itachi is angry or not, their only prayer while still living their last moments on earth is they're saved._

"_Wait, hold on! What are you guys talking about?"_

_Well almost everyone._

_The two Uchihas look at the spiky blonde who spoke and he looks a little annoyed himself for being ignored the first time. "Where is Sasuke?"_

"_He's safe, that's the important thing."_

_That wasn't any of them._

_Turning around to the sound of that voice, they see Sasori at the entry way between the hallway and the living room and he looks both serious and grave. Seeing him is almost like a breath of fresh air, for the Uchihas and especially Itachi. Only some of his anger turns into worry and concern as he wonders what Sasori has to say about Sasuke's condition and for that tone and look on the red head's face. The rest is locked up for now, ready to burst as soon as he hears what is exactly is his little brother's condition._

_But in all honesty, he's a little afraid to what he does has to say. Gulping the lump in his throat first, Itachi asks, "How is he?"_

_Sasori looks at him directly and only at him for a moment before his eyes close to arrange his thoughts properly and say the right things. He heard the commotion and one word and more than just half the room is going to go on a rampage. "Physically, he'll be fine. There are no breaks or sprains. Only a few bruises that tell me that he was struck a few times."_

_For those who have just arrived, they're surprised. Even Suigetsu and it really takes a lot to really surprise him, unless you know what to surprise him with. Naruto is the first to ask, "Sasuke was beaten?" flabbergasted by this._

_The thing was…Sasori wasn't finished talking. Before someone starts bringing in the deadly plaques of the world, he says, "Yes, and I would appreciate it if I am not interrupted because that's not even half of the list."_

_Half…of the list?_

"_We removed his clothing and there are signs of malnutrition. I would estimate his last meal would be two days ago. A small meal, and the time before then might have been a meal just as small three days before then. Checking his lungs, there may have been possible cases of attempt drowning. And the red marks on his neck…" Looking at everyone again, Itachi mostly who is taking everything he says in, Sasori tries to look as dead serious as he can when he delivers, "As I suspected, they're self-inflicted. He may not be bleeding but there are skin cells under his fingernails. They're also some wounds that are not fresh. I would say the most recent would be around the time you came to get him, Itachi."_

_Self-inflicted? Sasuke was trying to hurt himself? If he had really caused himself to bleed, then that may as well be considered as a suicide attempt. Realizing that, there is nothing more that can surprise the youngest Uchiha in the living room right now. It has gone past that limit and he just feels so…so…so broken. Like every injury he learns that his little brother, that head-strong tough teenager with his foul snappy mouth, went through and did to himself, is a wound inflicted onto Itachi's heart. It hurts him greatly to hear that his father, their father; a man who is supposed to raise and teach them of right and wrong, did this to someone Itachi cares greatly about. And it hurts him more when their mother, the very woman who gave them life, allowed this!_

_As for the rest of the living room, they're almost past their limit of being shocked out of their wits as well. At least, Madara, Izuna, Kimimaro, and Juugo had time to let it sink in that Fugaku did something to Sasuke that made him go on an emotional turmoil rampage. It also took longer still to hear that Mikoto allowed this to happen and tried to cover up for her husband. Madara and Izuna know her. She would have never allowed anyone to lay hand on her children, even if she was beaten too. So then…what happened to her?_

_As for those who just entered, they're close to being shocked out of their minds. Thoughts like 'Sasuke was abused?' and others like that run through their heads. They're all wondering right now what could have happened to have drive Sasuke to an option like suicide. They know him! He would never choose such a thing._

_Izuna, the first after the long stunned silence, asks "Why would Sasuke hurt himself like that?" But when those words are said, the red-head spares him a moment glance before casting his eyes down to the ground in shame and pity. That startles Itachi and it makes him more afraid with the thought of why Sasuke did that and what he Sasori said before._

"_Sasori, what's the rest of the list?"_

_Sasori still looks at the ground but his hands at his side became tight fists and in his mouth, he bites his lip. In a way, he didn't want to tell them. It'll hurt them too much but what other choice does he have? He needs to tell them. With a heavy voice and a heavy heart, he replies, "Your brother is extremely mentally unstable."_

_And that did it. Forget it about Itachi already being past his limit of being more than shocked. With those words, he's now at the limit of being more than broken._

"_As I said, your brother would be fine physically. Put him back on the regular diet and care for his bruises with some cream we can find in a drug store; that's all we need to do. The real problem lies in his mind set." Facing everyone again, he looks only at Itachi again and asks, "Of all the years I've know him, I have never seen him like this before but as someone who knows him more personally than any of us, was Sasuke ever afraid of something?"_

_Itachi couldn't respond to that and really, he didn't have to._

_Naruto bursts in, unable to take it anymore, "Sasuke afraid? I've known him since we were in diapers! Teme was never afraid of anything. He was always the brave one when things were scary for me!"_

_For Itachi, his brain couldn't function properly anymore. He just lost control over everything._

"_**Because I don't want you to leave."**_

_Not even his memories._

"_**You're right I can take care of myself just fine but that's only because I knew if I was ever in trouble…if I ever needed someone to be there for me…I could always count on you to be that person. As long as I had you, I don't need anything or anyone else."**_

_No one paid attention right away but Itachi is holding his breath, his thoughts are going hay-wired in his mind, his emotions are visible for anyone to see, his heart is pounding at an incredible rate and it's just ringing in his ears. It's a surprise that the ringing isn't canceling any sounds out. His ears are still open to hear everything and anything else has to say about anything._

_Immediately responding to the blonde, Sasori explains, "I only ask to know if he ever showed signs of having a phobia before."_

_A phobia?_

"_A phobia can occur in a person at a young age from the time they were a child but there are cases in which phobias are caused in a teenager life. They can be genetic but there are usual causes of the subconscious mind, absorbing the fear from the environment or their living condition, or even experiencing extremes of pleasure, shame, guilt, or fear."_

_**Crack**_

_Something begins to break inside of Itachi when he heard that._

"_For him to have gotten this bad, I assumed it was something that happened in childhood and after the events that occurred in the last couple of months, it's only now taking extreme levels."_

_**Crack, crack**_

"_But if he has never showed signs of this then something must have really given it a good start."_

_Itachi is about ready to shatter. Already he has taken several small steps back but no one seemed to have noticed due to their intensively listening to everything Sasori has to say. His body is shaking as the pieces are slowly being put together in his mind of the real reason why Sasuke is like this. It's not his father's fault. It's…_

_Then Madara calls, "Sasori…what is his phobia?"_

_Just by looking at his face, anyone, even Naruto, can tell that the red-head really doesn't want to say this for he knows everyone's reaction once he says it. Taking a deep breath in and out of his nose, he tells them, "Isolophobia; the fear of being alone."_

_Fear of being alone?_

"_Okay, now that's just ridiculous!" Suigetsu snaps before Naruto could. Shoving Kisame's hand off and taking a few steps forward, he asks, "How the hell can Sasuke have this isolo-whatever? I may not know him as long as Naruto has but I at least know that the guy loves to be alone. Hell, he preferred it! What on earth would make you think that he's afraid of being alone?"_

_**Crash!**_

"_Eyyya! Someone help me!" That's…Sasuke._

_In a split second after the shock of hearing the Uchiha's voice scream like that, Itachi is on automatic. He sprints running, pushing Sasori out of the way so he could run into the hallway and down to the last door on the left, which is where he knows his little brother is and is slightly opened when he arrives._

_Madara called for him, "Itachi!" but he didn't hear him._

_Itachi quickly opens the door right when a book was thrown and it hit the wall right next to his head. It literally flew an inch away and he felt the wind and the __**bam**__ of it hitting the wall snapped in his ear upon impact. He stands there, frozen in surprise as he sees the teenage on his knees on the bed he was being examined on and he's still holding two other books in his hands. Itachi saw a moment of complete fear on the boy's face before Sasuke saw him and he relaxes a bit back on the bed on sight._

_Apparently while Itachi and Sasuke are just staring at each other for a moment, Deidara is on the ground in the opposite corner of the room and besides the shards of broken glass all on the floor, he's bleeding from the side of his face as well. He's conscious but he is dealing with some serious pain and he was curled into a ball to avoid any of the books coming at him. After Itachi came in, Sasori comes rushing in as well. He slips past Itachi from behind and instantly arrives to his lover's side at the corner._

"_N…Nii-san…" The books slip out of Sasuke's hands and he just sits there now with his hands up, fingers spread apart and shaking, and his eyes are starting to glossen with tears._

_Is this what Itachi has done to him? Has he made the boy more violent and an easy crier?_

_The others coming running in now but unlike Sasori who had to slightly push Itachi out of the way to get in, they just stand in the hallway and try to see over the Uchiha's shoulder. This time, Kyuubi keeps Naruto back from just barging in. They all heard the 'crash' after all and if what Sasori says is true, he doesn't want his little brother to get hurt both physically and mentally about the boy's new behavior._

"_Deidara, are you alright?" Sasori asks, examining the head injury. The blonde would have usually responded with a 'does it look like I'm alright, danna? I'm bleeding, un' but with everything going on, he doesn't feel like being his smartass self. "What happened?"_

_The long-haired blonde responds, "I swear I was only gone for a moment, un. I just went to go refill his glass and when I came back, he was shaking from head to toe, sweating, and he kept mumbling to himself, un. When I tried to ask him what was he saying, he just became really scared and acted like he didn't know me, un. He started throwing stuff out of self-defense, un. Danna, I'm fine." He says the last part because he can see the extreme worry and panic in the red-head's eyes; even when it's really not much extravagant compared to people like Naruto, Kyuubi, and Kisame._

"_Nii-san…"_

_The two of them turn to look and they see Sasuke this time reaching for his older brother with teary eyes. For others that can see or barely can, they're shocked by the youngest Uchiha's new behavior. Sasori really wasn't lying about his condition then._

"_It's too dark," the teenager mumbles with a whiny voice. Then a weak small smile appears with his wide terrified eyes. "It's been dark for so long. But nii-san is my light, right? My light, my light, my light…"_

_Seeing him like this, hearing his words, it's breaking Itachi's heart more than anything ever could. He knew there would've been consequences for doing what he did but he never thought such a thing would really do this kind of damage. Maybe the silent treatment for months and the cold-shoulder even longer but never this. Never like this._

_So Itachi approaches him. He fast walks to the bed and even though some others called for him, he didn't listen or bothered to care who called to him. All he cared about was the boy reaching for him with such a desperate look on his face. He grasps his little brother's hands as soon as he arrived and he gets down on his knees to at least be on the same level as the bed._

"_Otouto," he calls, softly and tenderly but filled with so much guilt and shame. Releasing one hand, he hesitantly reaches for the teenager's face. He almost pulled his hand away before he did that, thinking he didn't deserved to, but if the boy's calling for him then who is he to deny him anymore? He cups the boy's cheek and uses his thumb to stroke his skin. "I'm sorry," he says. At the moment, what else could he say? "I didn't mean for this to happen. Forgive me, please."_

_Sasuke's eyes calm down a bit and they narrow down half way for a softer look. "Nii-san…" Raising his free hand to Itachi's face, the others begin to relax a little. Has Sasuke finally calmed down?_

_Then in a blink of an eye, Sasuke's expression becomes that of rage and the utmost hatred before his free hand grabs Itachi's neck and in his moment of surprise, his other hand is freed and he uses both to grasp the older Uchiha's neck and push him down from the force; him coming down with him. The others gasp and froze for a second when he did that and now with him sitting on top of Itachi's chest, he starts strangling his older brother in an extremely tight grip and he yells, "What the hell does nii-san mean 'forgive me'? FORGIVE ME FOR WHAT? FOR LEAVING ME AND LETTING ME ROT IN THAT FUCKIN' HELL HOLE?"_

_Itachi tries to grasp for air but Sasuke's grip is extremely tight for someone who supposedly hasn't had a solid meal in days. He can't breathe. He can't speak. He tries to pry the boy off him in reaction but that only causes Sasuke to tighten his grip._

_The others couldn't stand to see this. Madara goes darting in first, along with Kyuubi who pushed Naruto behind him so Kisame could grab him. He does and both Suigetsu and Naruto are struggling in his arms to go rush in and help. Orochimaru and Kimimaro tried to run in as well but both Kabuto and Juugo stop them with their arms around their lover's waist holding them close and in place. Deidara tried to get up as well but Sasori only pushes him back down to the floor. Izuna comes in since there is no one to hold him back and by then Madara and Kyuubi grab a side of Sasuke's arm and with their great strength pry Sasuke right off his brother. With his neck free, Itachi starts coughing, turning over to his side to try and breathe air back into his lungs by the time Izuna arrives by his side._

_His younger uncle asks, "Itachi, are you alright?" He couldn't respond. Only cough and loudly pant to get air back in while Sasuke is struggling against his uncle and Kyuubi. Pulling, kicking, growling, and screaming groaning._

_Deidara tries to get up again but Sasori pushes him back down again. "No," he orders, like the blonde is a dog. "You're hurt. I'll check on him." Then the red-head gets up and hurries to the older Uchiha's side. Deidara watches in total worry, his eyes implanted on Itachi's back. Sasori instructs, "Easy, Itachi. Easy. Not all at once. Take deep breathes slowly. Slow deep breathes."_

"_I won't forgive him."_

_Right as Itachi tries to take in slower gasps of air, Sasuke said that. The attention is turned back to him but he's still struggling against his uncle and the older brother of his best friend. Even Itachi tries to lift his head up to look at the boy and really, he wished he didn't. All of the anger and all of the hate in that boy's body is glared directly at him and only him._

"_I won't forgive nii-san for leaving me! Why? Why did nii-san leave me! Why did nii-san leave me with that man? I'm like this because of nii-san! Everything is nii-san's fault because nii-san's a liar! Nii-san's a liar! A god damn, fuckin liar who doesn't care about anything but nii-san's self-righteous arrogant self! I hate nii-san! I HATE NII-SAN!"_

_**Crack, crack, crack! Shatter!**_

_And just like that, Itachi's world is destroyed. All of the pieces, broken like glass, is all scattered on the floor at his feet._

_Kyuubi jerks Sasuke a little before telling him, "Sasuke, quit it! You don't know what you're saying!"_

_**Bleagh**_

_The three of them, yes including Sasuke, look back at Itachi and sure enough, he's the one who just vomited. Leaning over to the floor on his hands and knees, Izuna looks extremely worried by his side as his stomach clenches again and he pukes on the floor a second time. Sasori looks surprised and as Izuna makes sure all of his nephew's hair is out of the way and he starts rubbing his back to try and comfort him._

"_Itachi? Itachi! What's wrong?" he asks, but the second youngest Uchiha doesn't respond. Only coughs and his arms are really shaky while sweat begins to appear on his skin._

_Sasuke just froze. His eyes are wide and he's just staring as Sasori instantly checks his fever, his pulse, and takes out a little flashlight to try and look at Itachi's pupils while the guy now sounds like he's hyper-ventilating._

"_He's going into shock," Sasori reports, putting his flashlight away. "He needs to lie down, now, away from this room." He lifts one arm up over his shoulders and starts trying to hoist the straight-long haired Uchiha up. The man didn't protest and Izuna comes up with him in case the need for extra support._

_All is quiet and that's only because Sasuke doesn't look angry any more. Only shock and worried, seeing his brother hurt and in pain right in front of him. Is this what he wants? To see his brother in pain? To hear that he's going into shock because of him? To hear that he needs to leave him?_

_Once up, Sasori passes the suddenly quiet and empty man to Izuna. "Take him to a separate room to rest. I need to take Deidara." Without even waiting for a reply, he heads over to his still conscious, bleeding lover._

_Izuna starts leading Itachi out and even though he's walking, the younger uncle can clearly see that his nephew is no longer with him anymore. "Let's go, okay? I'm right here, Itachi. Everything will work out in the end. You'll see." But none of his words seemed to have affected the Uchiha heir in any way. They sure don't work for him that's for sure. The others begin to move out of the way while Sasori has helped Deidara up and now they're all leaving._

_However, that's when Sasuke starts struggling again; grunting and whining as he tries to break free and reach._

"_C-Calm down, Sasuke!" Madara tries to tell the boy as he keeps his hold on him. Kyuubi does the same but the teenager didn't listen to him and the farther Itachi becomes to him, the more scared and desperate he becomes._

"_Nii-san!" he cries. "Please don't leave me! Not again, PLEASE!"_

_Right when Itachi was going to pass the door frame, his hand grasps it and he stops walking._

"_Itachi?" Izuna calls, startled when he did that. The others stop and they turn to look as well, curious to what he's thinking. But the low-ponytailed Uchiha ignores them all and looks over his shoulder at the pleading desperate boy behind him. When Itachi sees him, Sasuke is crying and tears roll down his face like a running faucet._

"_I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I'll do anything nii-san wants me to do! Just please don't leave me again. Don't leave me in the dark! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"_

"_**Then yes, I am willing to do anything to keep you here, with me."**_

"_**How far?"**_

"_**As far as you want me."**_

_Itachi didn't say anything. Just looking at his little brother, how can he forsake him when he's in such a pitiful state like this? Before today, when was the last time Itachi has seen him like this and since when did he ever leave his little brother to cry on his own when he's like this? Before ANBU university, since when has he ever abandoned him?_

_A hand grasps Itachi's sleeve and it's Deidara. He tries to tell him, "Itachi, let your brother rest, okay? Madara and Kyuubi will be here to accompany him, alright? Un."_

"_No, it's alright," Itachi tells him. The long hair blonde is startled to hear that, as well as everyone else. He pulls his arm away from his uncle and turns completely around towards the teenager looking at him now with hopeful teary eyes. He takes a few steps forward and says, "Uncle Madara. Kyuubi. You can release him now."_

_The older Uzumaki looks at him like he's crazy but seeing the state of Itachi and Sasuke, it won't be appropriate at all to ask him if he is. Instead he looks at his friend firmly and reminds, "He could attack you again."_

"_He won't," he replies, sounding sure in his words. "Not this time." Itachi stretches his hand to the boy, asking for his own and his voice is almost monotone but still with a bit of tenderness in his dead voice. "You don't have to do anything, otouto. I'm not leaving you again."_

_His words struck a nerve in Sasuke when he heard them. In a way, they made him happy but at the same time, they made him feel dirty for what he was doing only minutes ago and the red mark that begins to appear on his neck is proof that he couldn't control himself. He hurt his angel. His savior and protector. He hurt him._

_Madara and Kyuubi look at Sasuke over once more to truly see if it'll be okay. Then they look at each other to see if the other is okay with it and seeing that it is, maybe, they very hesitantly loosen their grips and as soon as Sasuke is able to, he pulls himself away from them and quickly rushes to his brother. Exactly like how he just burst out of that room as soon as Itachi opened it, he just runs to him and then clings on to him like his very life depended on it. Everyone was on edge if Sasuke was going to do something or not but instead they see him act like a terrified little child grasping on to the only thing worth meaning in his life. His own lifeline. Itachi holds him back instantly but they both ended up collapsing to their knees on the floor; Itachi holding his little brother as close and securely in his arms as he possibly could while Sasuke is crying on his older brother's shoulder._

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" the boy repeats, sobbing in his misery and despair._

_Itachi coos, "Shhh, shhh, it's alright. I'm here, I'm here. And I'm never leaving you again. I swear it."_

* * *

**See? What I tell ya? Poor Sasuke and poor Itachi! But he did this to himself let's not forget. But how was it? Bad? Good? Horrendous? Let me know! Till next time!**


	22. The Broken Promise I Made

**A/N: Oh my goodness! Hi guys, it's been a while. I'm sorry. But even for this chapter, it's been a while and that's because this chapter was a little hard to write when you have finals and graduation to worry about. The reason why I updated one of my other stories was because I had that chapter done a while ago and I didn't want you guys thinking that I disappear or something. Plus, I wanted this to be as emotional as possible and I was worried on a lot of things for that.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. Kishimoto owns them and lately, I don't know who I want to slap. Sasuke for not being able to understand Itachi's feelings and will or Itachi for just going to stop the Edo Tensei and disappear without making his little brother understand. Believe me, I loved the fight between them and Kabuto. It was a 'Yes! Yes! They're finally going to be fighting together to kill the bastard!' But now that it's over, I want some more touching Itachi/Sasuke scenes and of course, Kishimoto is going to be a jerk about it and no. Ugh! Sorry for the vent.**

**Thank you for those who have waited so long and left reviews. I only hope I can update faster than I've done before and finish a story damn it! Thank you and enjoy!**

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Ch. 20: The Broken Promise I Made

_As soon as Itachi opens the door to his home, he's met instantly with a pair of arms wrap around his waist and they hold him in a bear-hug grip. His little brother greets him with a big smile on his face, just like a child's._

"_Welcome home, nii-san!"_

_Itachi returns his smile and once he's able to enter his home fully and close the door behind him, he returns the hug with one arm and greets back, "I'm home, otouto." Then raising his other arm, he shows the boy a bag full of freshly bought tomatoes. "I have something for you."_

_Seeing the bag made the smile on Sasuke's face all the more brighter. "Yea! Thank you." He hugs his brother even tighter and Itachi pets his little brother's head as his back is pressed against the door of their home._

_It's been several months since Itachi saved Sasuke from that house they used to grow up in and now they live in their own cheap bought house from whatever savings Itachi had in his account, plus a few helpings. Unfortunately during that time, they haven't seen their parents since that. That may be a good thing but that means they haven't faced them in court yet. That's because judging on Sasuke's mental state, he won't be able to go against Fugaku the second he sees him. Just saying the word 'father' or even spelling it would make him think about that man and then he would throw a fit. Rather it's hysterically crying in the corner or nearly choking his brother half to death for being reminded he was left 'in the care' of that man because of him. So until they can properly and legally punish Fugaku for what he did, Sasuke needs to become mentally strong again like how he was before. Though there is one other startling thing about that man. Fugaku never made a move first of sending the cops after Itachi and his brother-in-laws for the charge of kidnapping his minor son. It's a great relief he didn't do that but it's still troubling that he didn't make the first move. So just to be on the safe side, the two brothers live in this cozy little home in a safe neighborhood where their father would never guess they would be. Even to make sure he never finds out once he does make the first move, the only ones who know where their new home is Sasori and Deidara._

_After a few moments of enjoying the bliss of being in each other arms, the older Uchiha hears footsteps coming from the dining room door and next he sees is a fluster long-hair blonde. "Sasuke! We weren't done with your examination. You can't just run off because you saw Itachi coming home, un!"_

_Acting like a child, as he's always done, Sasuke sticks his tongue out for a moment before pouting and excusing, "I just wanted to greet nii-san home. Doesn't it make nii-san happy when I greet nii-san at the door?" He asks the last part with a more chipper attitude and if he were a dog, his tail would be wagging like crazy._

_Itachi tells him firmly, "Otouto, I'm happy every time you welcome me at the door. However…" Sasuke looks up at him when he said that and what he sees on his brother's face startles him. "…you need to finish your examinations alright? Sasori is going out of his way to drive so far away from his home to see you and you need to be good, okay?"_

_Sasuke sees the sorrow on the edges of his brother's expression and the guilt and shame that still plague him since he returned._

"_Itachi."_

_Both brothers look up and they see Sasori now at the door way and he says, "May we talk alone?" Then he walks back inside, most likely to settle on the dining room table every time they have one of __**those**__ talks._

_Getting it, Itachi re-pats Sasuke's head to get his attention. "Otouto, can you entertain Deidara while Sasori and I talk? Why don't the two of you play some video games, alright? I believe he still wants another rematch in Super Smash Bros Brawl." Even though he's trying to be kind and giddy right now, it does little to lift Sasuke's spirits. He can still see them and they sadden him._

_Remembering that, Deidara declares, "That's right! I know you cheat when you use Lucario, un! Every time I use him, he sucks ass, un!"_

_Before Itachi could lecture the blonde of his language since his brother is acting like the child of seven or eleven, Sasuke pulls away from his brother and fights back at the blonde, "Because there's nothing wrong with him. It's __**you**__ as the controller who sucks!" That just enrages the blonde more._

"_Why you little…" Then he starts charging at the boy, who easily slips away as Itachi moves to the side so he doesn't get hit. Since he ran away, Deidara was able to avoid running into the door and he turns around just in time to see Sasuke run through the dining room door and Sasori sees him running for the living room to get to the stairs._

"_Ha! Too slow, Deidara!" he declares, once half way up. When he hears footsteps coming at him, he goes back up and the long hair blonde is pursuing him again._

"_I'm gonna kick your butt this time, Sasuke!"_

"_Gotta beat me in Brawl first!"_

_There are some more yelling and the thumping of footsteps upstairs but now it's time to get down to business._

_Sasori knows that Itachi is in the room so with the lighted cigarette in his hand, he starts the conversation. "Lively, those two."_

_As he takes a breathe of his cigarette, Itachi replies as he heads to the kitchen portion that's connect to dining room and goes to the refrigerator, "It's refreshing really. Sasuke finally has someone else he can cream in his games. I don't think my dignity can take another defeat." Though as he's putting the tomatoes away, he sadly remembers that his little brother used to dominate any game against anyone and his real favorite sore-loser opponent was Naruto. It saddens him even more that until they can sue Fugaku in court, the boy has to be away from his best friend who Itachi knows is worried about him every day since he was told he couldn't know about their new location._

_Sasuke doesn't show it but sometimes, Itachi wonders if he feels the lonely separation Naruto is sure to be feeling still._

_As Sasori is exhaling his breath of smoke, Itachi walks over to the table and tells the red head, "I appreciate you two watching over my brother in my absence."_

"_Did you find any jobs that will allow you to work at home?"_

_Sitting down across from Sasori first, Itachi replies, "No, I haven't," in his signature monotone voice._

_There is silence between them, save for the muffled sounds of the gamers either going 'yes, yes' or 'no, no' upstairs. But the two of them block that out._

_Sasori then tells the concerned Uchiha, even though he's not showing his feelings on his face, "You might be able to not look for jobs like that anymore."_

_Now that catches Itachi's full attention._

_The carpenter explains, "Us babysitting for you while checking on your brother's condition was more than a checkup. It's an experiment to see how Sasuke would react with you leaving. Remember how even if there were other people in the room, he would still have a fit unless you were with him?"_

_Eager, Itachi asks, "How was he?"_

_Softly smirking to his friend, the red-head responds, "He's getting better."_

_Oh thank god. That's the best news Itachi has heard in months. So much so that it actually takes his breath away to hear his little brother could return to normal. Well as normal as he can be. Heck, anything is better than compared to how he used to be when Itachi first got him._

_Another proof that Sasuke is getting better is that the red mark Sasori would see on the older Uchiha's neck every time he came for the boy's usual checkup isn't there anymore. And the bruising that would make Itachi have to wear a scarf or turtle-neck collared shirts is nothing but a light shade on his skin now._

"_Though I wouldn't start looking for any of that just yet," Sasori quickly added as a caution. "He still had people with him while you were gone and we couldn't keep him from staring out the window, waiting for you like a dog without his owner. We won't come for another two weeks but when you can, try to experiment how long he can comfortably last without you and people. You also need to make sure that when you do, he's in good spirits. Stress will not help him at all. Maybe you can ask your uncles to lend him a cell phone for him call you so he won't do anything to harm himself while you get him more tomatoes or something."_

_Itachi reminds, "In case you've forgotten, I don't have a cell phone either and I can't ask my uncles for that. They've already helped me enough paying partial amount for this house and giving me some extra cash to pay for groceries. I know they care but I'm responsible for Sasuke now. I need to do this on my own."_

_Sasori became silent when he heard that. Hearing those words reminded him a lot of when Sasuke tried to kill his brother the first time. One moment the boy was strangling the man and then he apologized like a sinner at church the next. Itachi just accepted it. The abuse and everything. Then instead of staying with his uncles or any of their friends, Itachi declares that they need their own hiding place. He had very good reasons but to only tell Sasori and Deidara his new address? Again, he had very good reasons but if none of them know better, it's almost like Itachi just agreed to an abusive relationship and he's willing to take every hit thrown at him because he believes it's something he deserves. He doesn't want the support of anyone and he doesn't want t be rescued either._

_Bad part about Uchihas is they're as stubborn as hell._

_Letting out another sigh– some people wonder if he knows that every time you sigh, you lose a piece of your soul– Sasori tells him, "Just be aware that this needs to be done if you still intend to put Fugaku away for child abuse and obtain legal ownership of your brother."_

_He nods. "I know."_

_There's just no going through to this guy is there?_

_Sighing again, Sasori puts out his cigarette on the cigarette dish in front of him and as he gets up, he tells Itachi one more thing. "He notices, you know." Looking up startled, Itachi listens as the red-head finishes, "He asked us while you were away why you always look so sad and so stressed. He can even tell that you're struggling just to smile at him so he could get better. He's working hard to get better too. But I think the only way for him to fully recover is if you stop trying so hard to act like everything's alright. It is not your fault your brother is like this."_

_The rest of that speech would have been fine. Let Itachi think about his words and maybe consider doing something instead of this 'feeling sorry for myself' and 'blaming myself all the time'. But because Sasori said that it wasn't his fault is what stops him from doing that._

_Itachi never told anyone what exactly he did to his brother or why he's trying to handle Sasuke's situation all by himself – taking all of the abuse and trying to do this without anyone's help except for Sasori and his medical expertise._

"_I left, remember? You don't know that for sure."_

* * *

_Three hours later…_

_Itachi is cleaning up after dinner. Sasori and Deidara didn't stay. Thanks to the conversation they had earlier, dinner would have been rather awkward. Definitely not something to help Sasuke get better. He needs a positive environment and to lessen the tension so it doesn't stress him out, Sasori decide to take his lover before he could try to murder the kid for kicking his butt in Brawl again. Itachi asked his brother about that and Sasuke took a moment before he answered that Deidara is such a poor loser and other stuff like that. Though the reason why Sasuke took a moment is because he noticed it again. The look on his brother's face. He was trying to smile but…_

_As Itachi is putting away the dry dishes he just wiped with a dish towel, Sasuke is taking a shower. It truly is a miracle that this can happen. In the very beginning, Itachi would have to help his brother bathe. Then it got to be just having to be in the same room, then had to stand just outside the door or close by, and now Sasuke can take full showers without Itachi in the room, by the door, or in the hallway. If the others could see him now, they would be overflowed with joy and relief. He truly is getting better but the older Uchiha can still hear Sasori's words ringing in his ears. He can't help it. He tried not to think about it all during dinner and now that it's just him in the kitchen, alone with nothing else better to do than be in his thoughts._

"_**It's not your fault your brother is like this."**_

_But it is. It is…_

"_Nii-san?"_

_Caught by surprise, Itachi was just about to close the cupboard when he hears his little brother's voice behind him. Looking, he sees him in his night clothes, navy blue boxers and a black tank top shirt, and with a curious concern look on his face. Why does he make a face like that?_

_Smiling at him as full-heartedly as he can, Itachi asks, "Do you need something, otouto?"_

"_Don't."_

_That caught him off guard. Itachi ended up losing his smile when he heard that one word as the teenager shakes his head slowly before finishing, "Don't smile like that when it's not real."_

_So it is true, then. He does notice. Maybe Itachi is not as good at covering up his emotions as he thought, or Sasuke just knows him so well that he can tell the difference between real and fake for his brother._

_Closing the cupboard first, Itachi turns around to face his brother fully and he asks him, no returning-smile, "Why do you think my smiles are not real?"_

"_Because they're not happy," he answers. "They're…They're just sad, nii-san. Nii-san is always so sad. Smiles are supposed to be happy but…Why is nii-san sad all the time? Does nii-san find me…a nuisance?"_

_It's always the last part of a speech that takes the sudden turn to a different direction. But Sasuke a nuisance? That is the last thing the boy could ever be to Itachi. Don't say that, Sasuke. Not with your own pitiful look on your face._

_Itachi had the need to approach his little brother and touch him as he tells him that Sasuke was never a nuisance to him. But he resists that urge. He grips the counter behind him to prevent him from moving and he tells him, "Otouto, you have never been a nuisance to me. So why do you believe that you are? Are you…still hearing those voices?"_

_Sasuke's entire body stiffens when he was asked that. For one moment, his body shook and that was due to the complete and utter fear that sprang through him in less than a blink of an eye. A fear so strong…even stronger than when he hears the word 'father'. But he can't give into his fears now! Those fears of hearing those voices in the darkness when he's alone, he can't afford to think about them now. Because more than anything, his brother is far more important._

"_I-I…I haven't been hearing them…for a while," he replies, slowly and shakily as he calms his nerves. "A-And it's because you're always so sad. I don't want nii-san to be sad because of me. Which is why I asked Sasori if I could move in with him or if I could move to a mental institute."_

_Now that…Itachi did not expect at all and it practically stopped his head when he heard it._

_Before he could say anything, Sasuke, who's not even looking at him now, is fiddling with his fingers and he says first, "I-I am…getting better. But I already caused nii-san so much trouble. I don't want to be a bother to nii-san anymore. I don't want…to hold nii-san back."_

_Hold him back?_

_Now Itachi can't stand it. He approaches his brother and he sees just how shaky his brother truly is. "Sasuke. Sasuke, look at me alright. The only trouble you've given me is killing my pride in your video games." He tries to softly smile again to assure him but it's not helping in the least. "You're not a bother to me and you're not holding me back. I want to be by your side and help you through this. Nothing else can make me happier. You're my baby brother and that's what big brothers are supposed to watch out for their siblings."_

_Now Sasuke doesn't want to hear this. He doesn't want to listen. He doesn't want to listen…_

"_THEN SMILE LIKE YOU MEAN IT, DAMN YOU!"_

_That just silenced everything and it surprises Itachi more than anything did tonight. Did Sasuke just use pronouns for him? And with such vicious passion too?_

_The Uchiha teenager is even looking at his older brother with angry glaring eyes before pushing Itachi away and taking several steps back to put some distance between them. "If being with me is what makes nii-san so happy than prove it! Nii-san isn't with me because nii-san wants to be. Nii-san's with me because nii-san feels obligated to do so. I don't want nii-san like that. I want nii-san…to be free." Then he starts crying. His bangs are shielding eyes but Itachi can tell when his brother cries. He bites his bottom lip, his shoulders are a little shakier, and his fists are tightly gripped together. He has one close to his neck and that's one Itachi's worried about. "To be free, to be free, to be free," he repeats as that hand is now starting to scratch._

_That's what he was worried about._

"_Sasuke, stop that. Calm down," Itachi tells him, approaching him again and grabbing that hand to stop. He ends up grabbing the other when it tried to resume scratching Sasuke's neck. Looking at his downcast, glossy eyes, they're frantic and getting more so the more he keeps repeating and as he's trying to pull his hands away._

"…_free, free, free, free, break, break, break…"_

"_Break? What's breaking, Sasuke?"_

"…_break, break, my…my…my heart. Heart, heart, heart…"_

_His heart is breaking? Does this boy still…?_

"_Otouto, I don't want you to leave. You mean so much to me. Thanks to you, I was able to leave that house and take you with me. I found the back-bone I needed to do that and live my own life without their rules and restrictions." Sasuke stopped pulling and taking that as his opportunity, Itachi releases one hand and cups the boy's cheek as he pleads him, "Sasuke, please stay. I want you to stay with me." And that became another opportunity._

_Sasuke's free-hand grabs his brother's neck and thanks to the force and sudden strength of his anger, he pushes him to the floor. Again, he's on top of his brother's chest and his hand is gripping Itachi's throat. A position they haven't been in a long time._

"_YOU WANT ME TO STAY FOR YOU BUT YOU WON'T STAY FOR ME!"_

_Itachi grasps the wrist of the hand strangling him as his other is being held down by Sasuke's other hand. Sasuke is glaring down at him with more anger than before. But only anger. Not hatred._

"_DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HYPERCRITICAL YOU SOUND, NII-SAN!"_

_Moments later, it stopped. Sasuke stopped choking him shorter than he'd ever had. Due to the short time, Itachi gasped a few times and that is all that was needed. And then he felt the rain land on his face but when he looked up, he's met with another surprise. Pressed against his mouth is Sasuke's for a simple chaste kiss and a hand affectionately on his cheek. This…surely he did not expect._

"_I don't want to leave…" Sasuke says to him after he broke away. It starts raining again and Itachi sees that tragic face he always used to see on his little brother's face after a choking. "But how can I stay when you won't love me like before?" Pulling his hand back to wipe away his tears, he asks, "Nii-san would think after everything nii-san's done, I wouldn't still love nii-san so much. But I do. I still love nii-san, and it hurts to be with nii-san. It hurts…It hurts so much…"_

_It hurts Itachi, too._

_It hurts to see those tears._

_In one swift moment, Itachi moved from lying on the floor with his brother on top to sitting up and making sure his brother's face is right where it is so he could replace his lips where it belongs. Now it's Sasuke's turn to become shock beyond belief. His brother…is kissing him?_

_When Itachi broke away, he continues to stroke that cheek and he's not looking at his brother's confused eyes. "Now look what you've done, Sasuke. I resisted touching you for your sake and you go ahead and…" He let the sentence drift and let his little brother figure out the rest. He may have lost his mind and go on outrageous mood swings but Itachi saw the boy going back to computer hacking a few days ago. He's still a genius, just has the mind of a child._

"_Resisting for my sake?" Sasuke asks._

_Itachi still doesn't look at him. His hand still caresses the boy's cheek but his forehead is pressed against the chin. "I don't want to hurt you anymore. All this time, I've been holding back because I thought it would only hurt you and I didn't deserve to touch you again. I was afraid you would want to get away from me. Just the thought of you not wanting me anymore…it terrified me."_

_This is important, Sasuke thought. His brother is finally revealing his true thoughts to him. The reason why he's done everything up to now so they can be here, the reason why he doesn't resist any of Sasuke's assault, and the reason why whenever he smiles, it's always so full of sorrow and angst._

"_Didn't deserve…Nii-san shouldn't feel guilty! Nii-san has done right for what nii-san's done wrong."_

"_If that's true, then why do I think that you're afraid of being alone because I left you? There are so many 'if's. If only I hadn't left for college right after we made love…if I hadn't listened to that man…if I had claimed you sooner and promised that I would come back for you. Instead I just took advantage of your feelings and left without so much as a goodbye. Maybe if I had followed one of those 'if's, you wouldn't have-"_

_And a pair of lips stops and startles him once again. Sasuke had quickly lowered his head to face his brother's and stop his talking. His words were important but if Sasuke couldn't stand to see the man he loves in pain. He just couldn't, so he interrupted him and gave him a deeper kiss he didn't follow too far behind to return. His other hand, the one that still held Itachi's wrist down, finally released him and wrapped around his shoulders while the other wrapped around his head to deepen the kiss. Itachi's arms wrapped around his torso to keep him close and never let him go again. This kiss, in a way, is passionate. Full of passion to stop the other from talking and to take as much as he could after so long. When it stopped for air, Sasuke, being the taller one on the floor here, kisses his brother's closed lids and forehead._

"_I did think for a moment that Nii-san used me and left me out to rot. But nii-san came back." Backing away, he smiles down at his older brother with the same smile Itachi once saw that night. It feels it's been so long since the last time he saw that smile. "Naruto told Nii-san I've been acting strangely and mother and father were telling nii-san lies, and nii-san came back. My savior came and rescued me from the loneliness and the darkness. Now the only thing that can possibly scare me right now is losing my nii-san. Please don't ever leave me like that again. I can't bear it if nii-san leaves me alone again."_

_Bushing away the bangs to show more of his beautiful face, Itachi moves close enough to lean their nose lines against each other and to just tease the other with the closeness of the other's lips. He has waited so long for this moment and now, if the higher power will let him, let him has this one small bliss just once more. "I promise you, I will never leave you again. There will be times where you can't see me, but I will always be with you. Just remember that. You will never be alone again."_

"_Yes."_

_They kiss again, even more passionately than the last but slower and lovingly that would make any woman or uke feel absolutely beautiful and perfect. As it would make any man or seme the luckiest person in the world to have this beautiful creature in their arms and for this one moment, belonging solely to them._

_For this one moment…after all the pain…all the misery…all the insanity…all the waiting…it'll all pay off for this one moment when everything is as it should be. Perfect._

"_I truly do love you, Sasuke. Remember that and I'll always be nearby."_

"_Remember my love as well, nii-san."_

* * *

Naruto and Deidara couldn't say a thing and surprisingly, they didn't interrupt to ask questions or exclaim an opinion of any kind. They just sat there on the edge of the bed with Itachi not even looking at them anymore. When he started telling them about what he had decided to do when Sasuke came home after his bold kiss, he looked away. The shame was just too much and all of that angst is truly the most emotion they've seen on his face in a really long time. Even when he was haunted by death visions this entire trip here…even when he saw the dead bodies pop up one by one this entire night…the shame and the guilt were deep and both blondes are even surprised the Uchiha is still with them. They're not as strong as him. If they went through what he did, they would have been pushed over the edge and at least cut themselves or committed some kind of suicide attempt. Was living with Sasuke during that time like suicide attempts or was re-living under his parents' rule his way of already committing suicide. He truly died the same night as his little brother and following his father's orders was the only thing left for his body to do in this world.

Unknown to the three of them, the door that was supposed to have been closed when the blondes came in is open and a wide onyx eye peaks in; watching them and listening to everything that has been said up till now.

"The rest you two should know. I woke up the next day in bed with otouto with me and the phone was ringing. It was the bank and they requested for me to come in concerning my account. I thought it would be a good opportunity to test what Sasori suggested so I woke him up and told him I was going to be gone for a little bit. Otouto asked to come with me but I told him to stay and that I would return to him in less than an hour. I lied to him again. I said less than an hour and I was gone for two. Next thing I knew, I came back and he was lying at the bottom of the stairs with a broken, clawed out neck. I caused his mental illness and I'm the reason why he died. Sasori warned me and I…" Itachi couldn't finish the sentence. He had said everything that has plagued his mind this whole time and now, he can hardly finish it. It's another amazing thing that he hasn't started crying yet. Or maybe, he has already cried his tears for his brother's death and the blame that is his.

Behind the open door, the person looking in turned away and Sasuke leans his back against the wall of the hallway. If his brother would not cry, then he will. Tears leak out of his eye but he dares not make a sound or it will alarm those three and they will come storming out – only for him to get up and hide. Right now, he doesn't have the strength to hide from plain sight. He's already done that all night and he intends to keep it that way. He doesn't want anyone to see him. He doesn't want nii-san to see him like this.

But it's so hard. It's so hard to hide when all you want to do is hold the one you care about the most and cry. And comfort them as they cried; physically or mentally.

"It's not…It's not nii-san's fault I died…It's…It's…"

And yet, Sasuke couldn't finish. He can't stay here. He can't.

His body fades away right as soundless sobs begin to break out and endless tears begin to pour. Leaving a tear or two behind to sink into the floor and disappear.

* * *

**And there we go! Finally done with the back story of the real reason why Sasuke went insane and died. Now I can go back to the original story and kill some people. Anyway, now you understand why I was trying to make it emotional. I don't know if I did so the only way to let me know is let me know!**

**How was it? Bad? Good? Crappy? Let me know! Criticism is welcomed! Until next time!**


	23. It Was Always You

**A/N: Hi guys! I know, it's been a REALLY long time since I last updated. But life happened and no inspiration came to me in like forever. I had to watch several Asian horror films just to at least write this chapter. Now since I'm coming back from the dead, I hope this chapter will be to your liking.**

**I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. I only write stories about them. Now then, I know I said this before but I am going to try and finish this fic for Halloween but I must admit that two other stories will be released in celebration of Halloween; one is a one-shot that's kind of light-hearted and the other is circus-scary. That is all I'm saying. Thank you for all of your patience and your lovely reviews. I appreciate all of it. Now then, enjoy!**

* * *

Ch. 21: It Was Always You

Holding the glass cup under the faucet, Deidara lifts up the handle and allows the running water to fill up the glass before dumping it and doing it again. He only came down to refill Itachi's glass of water but at the moment, he doesn't want to go back up to him so quickly. Now he knows why Itachi has converted himself into nothing but a mindless doll. He always thought it was simply because Sasuke died and he decided to let go of his emotions to hide the fact that he felt completely helpless about it. Deidara watched him try so hard to heal his little brother and right when they all started to relax, the boy went off the deep end and died. If there is one thing Deidara is absolutely certain about Uchiha behavior is they hate to feel useless, hopeless, or worthless.

'_But to hear that story, how am I supposed to feel about it now?'_ Deidara wonders, dumping the glass for a seventh time. _'After he finished, I wanted to smack some sense into him or shake it into him. But he already feels so guilty about it and with no idea on how to deal with it, I would only be rubbing salt onto the wound if I do anything like 'You fricken idiot' or something. I'm actually surprised Naruto hasn't done that already. All during this trip, the guy has been a complete insensitive moron about it and now he's absolutely silent. I swear that kid is bi-polar or something.'_

"Deidara-kun?"

Hearing his name snaps the long hair blonde out of his thoughts and looking to the side, he sees Mikoto looking at him with utter concern and a tiny spec of hope glowing in her eyes. "How is he? Is my son…alright?"

Every time he sees her and hears her speak, it's hard for Deidara to believe that this woman failed to protect her own children from her husband. Anyone would think after Sasuke died, she would have filed a divorce or something but instead she still stays by his side. What kind of a mother would just watch on the sidelines as her husband manipulated and abused her children? Her watching during such a thing like that was the last thing any of them expected. Madara and Izuna definitely.

But there is one thing Deidara remembers for sure. Like how the word 'father' used to scare Sasuke out of his mind, literally, when he heard the word 'mother', it would bring the boy to tears but not in a fearful way or sad way for him. But sad for her. Sasuke never blamed her. He pitied her. Almost like she was another victim of Fugaku's abuse that Itachi left behind and she was all alone in that house with him with no super hero to save her. Itachi thought when Sasuke cried, it was because his mother couldn't protect him but when he was gone and Deidara was watching him, he asked the boy and he told him why he was crying. Deidara never told anyone about it and he assumes Sasuke never told anyone else about it either; especially his brother.

"Oh yeah, he's fine, un," he finally replies to her. Looking back to his task on hand, filling he glass up for an eighteenth time and it being the last time, he tells her, "He's just…a little shaken up still, un. He may not have been conscious but he was still the last person to see Kabuto alive, besides the murderer. If anything, he's more concerned on why he hasn't been killed included, un." _'He was wondering why he hasn't died yet. His true self is already suicidal so he's practically ripe for the taking. I wonder if I should be so confident on knowing such a taboo thing.'_

"I know he hates me."

Now that's a little startling. Turning back to her, it's Mikoto's turn to not look at him while she says to him, "And I don't blame him. I hate myself too for everything that I've done to him. From the very beginning, everything has been my fault. I hate myself so much that I want to cry and surrender to nothingness, but I can't even do that anymore."

Can't surrender…to nothingness? Does that mean she wants to die, too but she can't?

Okay he may not know why she can't die but still waning to die is seriously taboo in this house! Now Deidara knows where Itachi gets his 'I want to die because it's what I deserve' qualities from.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, un! I know things look pretty bad right now but we're going to get through this, alright?" Mikoto looks back at the blonde and Deidara really looks like he's franticly panicking. "Itachi will be back on his feet in no time, un! And as soon as he's better, we'll high-tail it out of here. Okay, un?"

The sooner we get out of here, the better it'll be; that's what he's trying to tell her. But still, Mikoto doesn't feel as comforted as she should be. She knows he means well but those words aren't exactly what she wants to here. Still, she nods to the blonde to ease his panicking nerves. "You're right." She even tries to smile but Deidara is not as dense as Naruto. He can tell that it's forced.

"Now then, to deliver this water to his majesty, un." And all he can do is run away and hope that Mikoto won't try to slice her wrists or anything like that if she does decide that whatever reason is keeping her alive is not worth it. There is a reason why Deidara is better at physical examinations, not counseling sessions.

Though as he walks down the hallway, having to fast walk to avoid Fugaku who was sitting on the couch waiting for his wife, the blonde sighs. Wishing that he could have some experience with mental therapy to help his friends instead of just physical examination experience made him think of how he only has physical examination experience.

'_Danna…'_

What gives Itachi and Mikoto the right to feel sorry for themselves for what they did? Sure maybe what the two of them did was despicable, or regrettable in a way, but it's not like what happened to Sasori wasn't an accident either. Sure the police thought so since he was bashing everything in sight at his workshop but it was because Deidara refused his proposal and didn't go after him when he stormed off was the reason why he died. Remembering his guilt made Deidara stop walking right when he was going to climb up the stairs. If anyone would look at him from behind, they would probably mistake him for Itachi right now.

He just can't help it. It's his fault Sasori died and yet when he was being possessed by Orochimaru's spirit, if he didn't hear that saw that time he wouldn't have been able to return to normal. He probably would have bashed Itachi's head if it weren't for Sasori. So what Deidara wants to know right now is…

'_Why did Sasori help me when I'm the reason why he's dead?'_

That thought just feels like a huge pile of cement bricks weighting down on him until he's on his knees and he puts the glass down on the stairs so he wouldn't spill or drop it. Deidara feels ready to just start crying, like every time when he thinks about his beloved. He loved him! He really did, and he would have jumped at the chance to marry Sasori. They were practically acting like a married couple anyway so why didn't he say 'yes' then?! If he was in the past a year ago, he would probably say that it was because it was a really depressing time and their friends needed their support. But now that just sounds like an excuse.

'_Why…why couldn't I just say 'yes' when I had the chance? We didn't have to get married right away! We could have waited, comforted our friends in the mean time, and then get married. Instead I just said flat out 'no' and broke his heart. I don't fricken care if I end up committing suicide in the end, I want to see him! He needs to know how I really feel about him! Danna, please! Let me see you! Just let me see you one more time, at least!'_

_**Zzzzzz…**_

Deidara's head instantly snaps up when he heard that noise. That sound…could it be…? Standing up, leaving the glass of water on the stairs, Deidara walks pass it and look at the door where he can hear the sound from. But it's farther than just the other side of the door. He knows where it's coming from.

It's coming from the barn.

* * *

While Deidara was getting the water, there is only silence between Itachi and Naruto. After telling his story, he just wanted to lie on his back and sulk again in his thoughts. Naruto honestly doesn't know what to do. Should he leave since it looks like Itachi wants to be alone? And sitting in silence always makes Naruto squirm in his seat. But Deidara, before he left to get water, told Naruto not to leave Itachi alone. He didn't say why but since he obviously knows more about the supernatural horror than Naruto does, the teenager can only obey. But to end the silence, should he say something to comfort Itachi? But what? As far as the Uchiha prodigy is concerned, he doesn't feels like he deserves anything. Not comfort or even forgiveness. As long as he believes that he deserves every bit of pain for what he's done. And here Naruto was being a total jackass by rubbing the extra salt on the wound. Some little-brother's-best-friend he is…

But hold on! That's what he thinks? Not what someone else thinks!

When Naruto and Deidara found Itachi in the barn, there was something else besides just Kabuto's cut up, plus missing head, body! There was…

"Um, I-Itachi," Naruto calls, nervously.

"Please don't." But Itachi stops him before he could continue. "I don't want to hear it. I just want silence right now."

He can have silence when Deidara gets back and Naruto leaves for the bathroom! He needs to know this! Maybe it'll help him!

"I-I wasn't going to say that… I know that I've been a real jerk and I should have realized from the beginning that you were suffering the most out of all of us. Even more than me… I was just so upset with everything because it was like the gods are turning us into their latest entertainment, but you have to know this! Please, just let me tell you what happened in the barn when we found you."

Naruto is still going to tell him, even if Itachi says no. He just wants to give him the choice to give him the opportunity to be more than a doll. After everything that's happened here, Itachi is not a doll! But if he decides he doesn't want to listen, then Naruto would nail up the door and windows if it'll mean the guy will listen to him. Thing about Uzumakis, they can be just as stubborn as Uchihas!

Itachi doesn't answer him, though. Rather it's because he's choosing to let Naruto talk but he's not going to listen or he is, doesn't matter. Naruto speaks anyway.

"When we got inside, we saw Sasuke in there, holding you."

That…changed everything. Itachi hardly moved when he heard it. His eyes widen in surprise and his hand gripped the sheets but that's it. He didn't instantly sit up or anything like that. He was just frozen. Sasuke was there holding him? Why?

"It was…it was really weird seeing him again. I mean…we saw some pretty strange things already while we were here but to see him again after all this time, I almost felt like crying…But I think that if I did cry when I saw him, they would have been tears of fear first." That makes Itachi turn over to look at him; only Naruto is looking down at his lap with his hands gripping together. "He was…He was just so horrifying to look at! He didn't change since the last time we saw him. He still looked exactly the same as when he died. Broken, bloodied neck, bloody fingernails, and blood all over his clothes; it was awful. It was like seeing my worst nightmare come to life. Like seeing an angel of death. I didn't want to look at him like that. I didn't want my absolute last image of him to be that. But at the same time, I felt like…I wouldn't mind seeing it again." He didn't want to see Sasuke but he would like to see him again. What did he mean by that? "I told you he was holding you, right? Almost like he was protecting you and you were the most precious thing to him in the world. I always knew that but it was different this time. Almost like you, he felt like he didn't deserve to be there with you but he wanted to be there. He was….he was also crying. Just like a tragic angel and then when he turned to look at us, I don't know if he knew we were there the entire time or it just didn't bother him. I was both horrified by him and I also pitied him. Then he was gone, but he told us one thing before he disappeared. He said 'protect him'. I'm pretty damn sure he meant you." He looks up at the older man then and exclaims, "You might think you don't deserve to live and maybe I should agree with you, but how can I when Sasuke doesn't blame you at all! He doesn't blame you for what happened. He still loves and thinks only of you. He wants you to live, Itachi. He wants you to survive this night and what kind of brother or lover are you to not listen to his words?! How can you be so selfish?!"

Those words….they sound so similar to when Izuna told Itachi the same thing when he was in the hospital after Sasuke's death.

"_**You think Sasuke would have wanted this?! Itachi, I thought you were better than this but how you're acting right now is completely selfish and childish! All you're going on about is you, you, you! Well what about Sasuke? If you love him so much than think about how he would feel about you acting like this! You think he wanted you to commit suicide just because he's not around anymore?! Look, I don't know what it's like to lose him but I do know for a fact that if my onii-san would have died, I would be acting exactly as you are now. Except, I would take the time to think about if onii-san wanted me to live like this? Would he want me to die or go on with my life with him in my memory forever? I know that's how Sasuke would think. So if you continue to live like this and claim that Sasuke would want you to do this, then boy, you don't know your little brother at all!"**_

Then Naruto does another unexpected thing. He grabs Itachi's hand and tells him, "If Sasuke told me to protect you, then god damnit I'll do it! I don't care if I have to knock you out with a bat and throw you in a trunk, I'll do just that if it means getting you to see the light of day tomorrow!"

After several long moments of stunned silence, Itachi's eyes became tender as he looks at the spiky blond now. Sitting himself up with his hand still tightly clung in Naruto's grip, he uses his other hand to pet the Uzumaki's head. Naruto is startled by the gentle pat but he becomes more surprised when Itachi tells him, "I can see why you're so special to Kyuubi. Thank you for being my little brother's friend. He was so lucky to have you."

Those words made Naruto want to cry again. Not that he had a choice in the first place. They just came up to his eyes and he couldn't stop them. Hearing those words made him remember his two most important people and the fun times they spent together. From the time when Sasuke and him met in kindergarten to all the fun and excitement they went through together. The constant challenging to see who was better at what, the pitiful arguments they could go for hours on, the hangouts, the secret sharing, and everything else. Naruto misses him. He misses Sasuke so much. When he saw him that first time when he was insane, it was the absolutely first time Naruto felt so utterly useless. He didn't know what to do. Only watch while he strangled his brother one moment and started crying like a baby the next. Then there was Kyuubi, who was there to hold him when their parents died and did everything he could to keep them both together. He was his rock, his comfort, and his support. Kyuubi was even there when Sasuke lost his mind and he made sure that Naruto would only think of the day when Sasuke would be better and things would be normal again. Then in only two months, he lost them both and ever since then, he always wondered, 'What would have happened if I had done this or that?' If he was stronger and knew what to do when Sasuke was in trouble, or if he never told Kyuubi exactly what he meant to him and they didn't get to that fight that led to the older Uzumaki being on that roof. If only he had done something different, one of them would still be alive.

Naruto couldn't hold it anymore. He starts sobbing. "Waahh! Sasuke…Kyuubi nii…" Itachi moves his hand to the back of the blonde's head and this time, the teenager didn't flinch away when Itachi pulls him to his shoulder for him to cry on. He just sits there, being held, and he accepts the warmth and the comfort long missed and needed – the warmth and comfort of an older brother.

_**Zzzzzz…**_

But it was short lived. Despite Naruto's wails, both of them heard that sound and it instantly brought a chill running up their spin. They both turn towards the window where they heard it and it was open. Just a little but none of them remember anyone opening that window. Only closing it after Itachi and Kabuto used it to escape Orochimaru…

"What was that?" Naruto becomes the first to speak. No use staring at it, the Uzumaki feels Itachi move but instantly, he tells him, "You stay. I'll look." The Uchiha watches the boy as he releases his hand and wipes his tears away while he gets up and approaches the window. Seeing his reflection on the glass, Itachi sees Naruto's eyes widen in shock and in terror. "Itachi! Deidara is going to the barn!"

Oh no…

This time, Itachi gets up from the bed and he rushes over to the window. He looks from behind and sure enough, he was able to just get a glimpse of Deidara entering the barn door and closing it behind him. Possibly locking it as well and possibly…

…going to find a way to be with Sasori.

Itachi whips around from the window and starts heading for the door. Naruto looks to him, then back to the barn, then back at the open bedroom door before yelling, "Itachi, wait for me!"

He didn't. He only ran and Naruto was right on his heels. They rush down the hallway, down the stairs, and Naruto is the one who ends up hitting the glass of water off and crashing it to the ground. Both of them stop momentarily to that sound and looking at the broken glass and the spilt water, it just made them that much more fearful and desperate to stop the long-hair blonde.

"What is going on here?!"

They turn to the side and there looking at them with either great concern or arrogant authority is Mikoto and Fugaku. Oh god, not now!

"Itachi, are you sure you should be moving?" Mikoto asks, with genuine motherly concern. She even approaches her son but only a few steps. Nothing more.

"I'm fine, mother, but right now, we can't talk."

He confuses her for a moment but before anyone could say a word, the Uchiha heir goes running for the back door and Naruto again, takes a moment before he follows.

"Hold on- Itachi!" Fugaku calls but while his eyes are on the direction his son just rudely ran towards, Mikoto looks down at the ground. She sees the broken glass pieces and the water and instantly she thought of Deidara. Could it be…that he's in danger?!

In less than a second, she starts running after the boys and now Fugaku is watching her go in shock. "Mikoto!"

It didn't take long at all for them to arrive at the barn but while Itachi runs to the entrance they saw Deidara use, Naruto takes a different turn and runs around the barn. Itachi tries to open the door but just as he suspects, it's locked.

"Itachi!"

Turning to the side, Naruto comes out from the other corner, having run around the entire building already, and nearly breathlessly, he tells him, "There is no other way in! When the door was locked, we used the rope and the pulley to climb ourselves in. But the rope is gone!"

Oh god, no!

* * *

While inside the barn, Deidara finishes the loop he made with the rope. When he decided to walk towards the barn, it was if he was in a trance. His eyes hardly looked focus and it looked like all he cared about was getting to the barn and locking the door. Then he used the ladder inside to climb up to the second floor and he pulled the rope completely out of the pulley. That way, no one could disturb him and he could completely what he set out here to do.

Remaining on the second level, he ties a loop big enough to put his head through and he puts it on. Now for the other end, but as he ties the other end of the rope to a sturdy pillar against the wall and far from edge, something stops him at the last knot.

"Stop it!"

Looking at only the hand, Deidara's azure eyes widen and his skin crawls from its icy touch. However, staring at the hand, he knows who it belongs to and it didn't bother him at all when he sees the blood on it – or the blood splatters on the arm as his eyes rise up to the owner's face. He completely looks passed the other blood splatters on the body and the missing limps which are still dripping blood. Funny how that is when there isn't a trail of blood or a pool of it anywhere. It's just dripping and not falling on to anything. Deidara still looks passed that because all he can see now is the face of his deceased lover, Sasori, with his skin as pale as white and wide red bark eyes staring right at him with dark circles all around them. Seeing him like this should be horrifying. To see someone who had already died in his gruesome form, it would make anyone want to scream in horror and run the hell away but Deidara didn't feel like that. He only stared at the face of his beloved and then a smile forms on his lips.

"Dana! You're here, un." Yet, when he reaches for Sasori, he did not smile in return. He allows Deidara's warm, living hand pet his cold, dead cheek and he wished he had his other hand attached so he could hold it there forever. To feel his touch again, oh how he missed it terribly.

And yet, he pleads, "Deidara, don't do this."

That catches the blond off guard. "Why not, un? If I do this, then I can be with you. The Shinigami told me so, un."

"I know she did but…"

Sasori just faded his words. From what he's seen of the others who died tonight, trying to tell them that they don't want them to die would just be useless. He's seen it fail every time and he's seen each one come up with a different answer every time. If he tells Deidara that he doesn't want him to die so they can be together, what would his answer be?"

"Ne, Dana. I know you might think that it's unfair for me to do this now, un. However if I do this, then we can be together. That's what you wanted, right? The two of us together forever, un?"

"Yes, but…"

Not like this.

Since his hand is still on his face, Deidara uses his thumb to stroke it as he says ever so gently and full of love and compassion, "I love you, Dana. It has always been you, un. I was never in love with Itachi. I only saw him as a piece of art. He was so beautiful the first time I saw him but I always wished that he would only last a moment and then disappear. He might have meant that much more to me if I saw him once and appreciated that beauty for that one fleeting moment. But he was exactly like your art. Always there and always beautiful; just like your dolls. It irritated me, un."

"I don't care about that anymore!" Hearing that startles Deidara a bit. Sasori releases the hand on the rope so he could grasp the one his cheek. He holds it away from his face and right now, he's not even looking at the blonde anymore. "I just want you to live, you idiot. Leave this place, find love again, and be happy. It can even be him if that what it takes. Just live…"

"Aren't you the idiot for not realizing that I am only alive when I'm with you, un?" Sasori looks up at him for that and Deidara's eyes are angry when he looks at him, just like the eyes he would always see when they're arguing. "Everlasting art will eventually make me lose interest, un. I'm not like you where I want to stare at it day and night. I get headaches doing that all the time, un! Plus, you know as well as I that I won't be able to bring him back from the darkness surrounding him, and he won't be able to bring me out of it either. Only you." Removing his hand and with the help of the other, he grabs Sasori's face and pulls it down to meet with his. If it were anymore possible, Sasori's eyes widen a little more from the warmth of the blonde's mouth and he didn't know what to do. His head is telling him not to give in but his heart, which so yearned for this younger man before him, is telling him to give in. But it's so much more than that.

"Danna…" Deidara breathes out after the kiss. When the blonde opens his eyes after a moment, a small gap escapes him. After all this time, he finally sees him. Sees him fully just as he used to long ago and it causes him to smile – a smile real from his heart and soul.

_Jitter, jitter_

"Itachi!...There is no other way in! When the door was locked, we used the rope and the pulley to climb ourselves in. But the rope is gone!"

Both artists ignore the noise outside. They're just staring at each other for a moment longer before Sasori raises both hands to the blonde and he whispers into his mouth, "Deidara, marry me."

"Yes, Dana."

* * *

"Itachi!"

Both the Uchiha and the Uzumaki turn behind them again and like before, they see Mikoto and Fugaku running towards them. Though Mikoto has already arrived and she's able to ask, "What's going on?" Before leaning on her knees, totally out of breathe and looking really exhausted. Did she sprint from the house to the barn?

"Mikoto!" Arriving by her side, Fugaku plays the compassionate husband again as he 'gently' scolds, "You shouldn't have run off like that. The doctor told you not to overexert yourself."

The doctor? Is she sick or something? Why would the doctor tell her to take it easy?

Grabbing his sleeve, Naruto captures Itachi's attention and he yells, "We need to break down the door! Kick it down like how you did to the bathroom door."

Right…No time to get distracted right now!

"But Itachi is too weak to do that!" Mikoto tries to say in the arms of her husband. She might have a point there.

"Then together then!" Looking into his desperate blue eyes, it's clear that Naruto is willing to do anything if it means saving the life of a friend. He just hopes that he can make it time.

Nodding first, neither of them waste any time turning to the door and getting ready to knock it down. Though while Fugaku is still slightly confused, Mikoto is praying that with all of her heart that they'll be able to save Deidara. Oh please god, let them be able to save at least one life tonight!

_BAM_

Hardly on the count of three, Itachi and Naruto charged at the door together and with the force of their shoulders, pop the old rusty lock off the rotting wood and they nearly stumble inside. But what they found when they looked, as well as the Uchiha head and lady, they see a rather shocking sight.

It wasn't really frightening.

In fact, it was quite the opposite.

When they barge inside, they see Deidara gliding through the air from the second floor with no rope around his neck or anything. They just see him gliding through the ground and he lands in the arms of a whole and 'living' form of Sasori. Sasori, with no splatters of blood on his body or any missing limps. His skin is of the same color as if he were alive, his eyes are not wide and ready to roll out of his socket, and he looked so happy when Deidara landed right in his arms. They both laugh full-heartedly and looked as if the rest of the world no longer existed. The only thing that did was each other.

Due to the weight of the blonde, Sasori had to spin a bit while their soft laughs filled the dark air of the barn. Watching the two of them, everyone forgot the fact that Sasori, a year-deceased, is here. They're only caught up with the fact that the two of them just look so happy together. Sharing a happiness that neither of them remember ever experiencing. Then when they both kissed, it just fit the picture and the moment so well.

But then…it all suddenly became so corrupted.

When they both broke their kiss, their eyes widen incredibly and dark circles surround their eyes. Their skin suddenly became deathly pale, Sasori became splattered with blood and his limbs started to disappear as if they were never there in the first place, on Deidara's neck became a black and blue long bruise appear on his neck and it tilts to the side in an abnormal way, and finally, their once joyful smiles full of only love for each other became twisted and sinister as they reached up to their ears and stared at each other crazed just like that for a moment. Seeing the once beautiful image turn into this, it made Itachi and Naruto take a step back in fear while Mikoto covers her mouth in horror with wide terrified eyes. Fugaku just holds his wife closer to his body.

Then in one swift movement, both of their heads turn to the living and it really made all four of them jump. Seeing their eyes and sinister smiles turn towards them, it blanked their minds and stop their hearts. They all stopped their breath and only one thing could be said between them from Deidara's lips.

"Ja, I'll see you later, un."

And the two of them disappear. Only then did they see from the corner of their eyes the dangling feet of a body above. Not wanting to but have to, they all turn up and Mikoto's scream is heard not a half-second later.

"EEEEEEYYYYYYAAAAAAA!"

Hanging from the second floor of the barn is Deidara's body, hung at the neck by the rope he tied to strangle him to death.

* * *

**I better leave it there. I was thinking of adding more but that would really make this chapter long and you guys waited long enough. I'll just think of something for the next chapter. I must write like the wind if I plan to unleash another horrific story and a Halloween one-shot for all of you.**

**But how was it? Bad? Good? Could have been better? Let me know! Till next time!**


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